Maleren og billedhuggeren Marius Hammann 1919

Jens Lund crafted this wooden bust of Marius Hammann, a painter and sculptor, at an unknown date. The bust form itself carries echoes of classical antiquity, evoking busts of Roman emperors and Greek philosophers. Note the stark contrast between the smooth, idealized features and the rough, unfinished texture of the wood. This juxtaposition speaks to the inherent tension between the artist's vision and the raw material. We can find similar contrasts in Renaissance sculptures, where artists like Michelangelo left traces of the chisel, a reminder of the artist's struggle to bring form to life. Consider how the gaze of the subject invites us into a dialogue across time, a silent exchange that transcends centuries. The rough, unfinished wood, like the fragmented memories of the past, evokes a profound emotional state. The bust's raw, almost primal energy, serves as a reminder of the cyclical nature of artistic expression.