Maleren J.F. Vermehren 1866

This is a bronze sculpture "Maleren J.F. Vermehren" made by H.W. Bissen, its height measures 64.5 cm. Note the subtle play of light across the contours of the face and beard, the reflective surface of the bronze giving a dynamic quality to this bust. The composition is classical, with the truncated figure presented in a straightforward, symmetrical pose. Yet Bissen complicates this formality through texture. The rough, almost crude rendering of the hair and beard contrasts with the smooth planes of the face and neck. This tension between idealization and realism reveals the structuralist theme often found in 19th-century art. The sculpture functions as a sign, the physical likeness of Vermehren pointing not just to an individual but also to the broader category of the ‘artist.’ Yet, by disrupting smooth, idealized forms with rugged textures, Bissen destabilizes any fixed reading, inviting us to reconsider what constitutes a portrait, or even a person.