Artwork
Figure Composition with Bacchants
Figure Composition with Bacchants is an unspecified painting by the Symbolist artist Jens Adolf Jerichau. It is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Figure Composition with Bacchants, executed in 1914, is a canvas by Danish artist Jens Adolf Jerichou. Although primarily known as a sculptor, Jerichou applied his training and evolving aesthetic to painting, producing a work that aligns with the Symbolist current of the early twentieth century.
Subject & Meaning
The composition gathers a troupe of figures arranged in a flowing, rhythmic pattern that suggests a bacchanalian scene. Through the grouping and gestures, the piece alludes to allegorical ideas of revelry, excess, and the transcendence of ordinary experience, motifs commonly explored by Symbolist creators.
Technique & Style
Jerichou’s background with the neoclassical sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen informs the solidity of the forms, while his later shift toward more dynamic, realistic expression is evident in the vigorous poses and fluid lines. The palette and handling emphasize mood over detail, reinforcing the work’s symbolic intent.
History & Provenance
Created during the turbulent years of World War I, the painting reflects Jerichou’s mature period after his appointment as professor and subsequent director of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. His academic leadership helped shape Danish art education, and the work remains a testament to his dual practice in sculpture and painting.
Context
Within the broader Symbolist movement, the piece engages with contemporary interests in mythological and ecstatic subjects, positioning itself alongside European works that sought to convey inner states through allegorical imagery rather than literal representation.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Emil Jens Baumann Adolf Jerichau (17 April 1816 – 25 July 1883) was a Danish sculptor.
