Niels Hansen Jacobsen

While surfing around
the net this week,
I stumbled accross
the above portrait.

Lots of people,
including myself,
make portraits,
but what distinguishes
Niels Hansen Jacobsen (1861-1941)
is that the above
has the unity of a ceramic pot,
and a monumental presence,
as well as
feeling ike a unique personality.






Here's another,
though regrettfully,
the subject seems
to have been indiscreet
in his collaboration
with the German occupation.

(and he looks like
he has something to hide,
doesn't he?)



Here's one of his public monuments
which demonstrates
how good monumental sculpture
can be made
from quite ordinary
subject matter

(and it has
a perfectly proportioned
pedastal)






But then,
happily,
it turns out
he also he also
turned his hand
to functional ceramics







and ceramic wild life







But my favorites
are his bizarre
horror sculpture

The above is called
"The shadow"



and this one
is the
"Troll in search of Christian Blood"

Wow.

As a troll myself
(of the internet variety)
I strongly identify
with the subject matter.


And wonderfully enough,
it was first installed
right outside a newly built
Christian church.

Regrettfully,
many parishioners
did not share
his sense of humor,
so the piece had to be moved,
and has only been restored
to its original location
in the past decade.






This one depicts
death and a young mother.


Another wonderfull piece
that probably relates
to his own experience
with sudden, unexpected
fatality.

Why did it take me so long
to discover him?


My first contact
with Danish sculpture
was with the erotic specialists
like Henning and Nielsen