View of a House in Hørsholm 1905 - 1916

Editor: Here we have J.A. Jerichau's "View of a House in Hørsholm," painted between 1905 and 1916 with oil paint. It looks like quite a textured surface! How do you read the composition of this work? Curator: Note how the structural elements of the house--the sharp angle of the roof, the rectangular window panes--juxtapose with the amorphous shapes in nature--the rolling bushes in the foreground, the pillowy forms of the trees, the sky. Jerichau masterfully uses impasto, creating a tension between the objecthood of the painting and its representational function. Consider how the lack of linear blending contributes to this tension. Editor: So, the expressiveness of the paint itself, its physical presence, challenges the illusion of the scene depicted? Curator: Precisely! The very materiality of the painting calls attention to itself, thereby defamiliarizing the scene it presents. We should note also the palette; observe the relationship between value and tone across the painting’s surface. Do these muted tones perhaps tell their own story? Editor: I see what you mean. The restricted palette certainly adds to the mood. It makes me consider the relationship between surface and subject in a whole new way. Thank you. Curator: An astute observation! Examining the painting's form has opened our eyes to new potential avenues of understanding.