Artwork
Dante. Prophets, Opus I
Dante. Prophets, Opus I is an oil painting by the Symbolist artist Jens Adolf Jerichau. It is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. Created in 1912, Dante.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1912, Dante. Prophets, Opus I is an oil painting by Danish artist Jens Adolf Jerichau. Though primarily known for his sculpture, Jerichau applied his evolving, more expressive approach to this canvas, aligning it with Symbolist tendencies. The work belongs to the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure, clad in a vivid red robe, is generally identified as Dante Alighieri, positioned on a rock with his right hand uplifted in a gestural pose. Around him appear additional characters, a nude woman with raised arms and a seated man cradling a child, suggesting a narrative tableau that evokes prophetic or visionary themes linked to Dante’s literary legacy.
Technique & Style
Jerichau employs a layered palette of blues, greens, and earth tones to construct atmospheric depth, while the bright red garment draws immediate focus to the protagonist. The composition balances foreground prominence with a receding background, creating a tension between the central drama and surrounding figures. The handling of color reflects Symbolist interests in mood and allegory.
History & Provenance
Since its completion, the painting has remained in Denmark, entering the holdings of the Statens Museum for Kunst, the nation’s principal art institution. Its accession reflects the museum’s commitment to representing early twentieth‑century Danish contributions to Symbolism and the broader European avant‑garde.
Context
Jerichau’s shift from Neoclassical sculpture toward a more dynamic realism mirrors broader artistic currents of the early 1900s, when many creators explored mythic and literary subjects through expressive visual language. The choice of Dante as a subject aligns the work with contemporary fascination with medieval epics and their moral or prophetic dimensions.
Artist & collection
Artist
Emil Jens Baumann Adolf Jerichau (17 April 1816 – 25 July 1883) was a Danish sculptor.
