Artwork
Susanne
Susanne is an unspecified painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Oluf Hartmann. It dates from 1906 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Oluf Hartmann, a Danish artist educated at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, painted *Susanne* in 1906. The work belongs to the post‑impressionist period and is part of the Statens Museum for Kunst’s permanent collection. It presents a single nude figure seated on a chair, rendered against a dark backdrop that emphasizes her form.
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows a woman named Susanne, nude, seated with her legs crossed and her torso turned slightly to the right.
The composition shows a woman named Susanne, nude, seated with her legs crossed and her torso turned slightly to the right. Her head is inclined backward, eyes directed upward, suggesting a moment of quiet introspection. The relaxed placement of her arms and the gentle tilt of her posture convey a serene, contemplative atmosphere that invites reflection on the aesthetic qualities of the human body.
Technique & Style
Hartmann employs chiaroscuro to model the figure, using strong contrasts between light and shadow to create volume and depth. The dark background absorbs surrounding light, allowing the illuminated skin to stand out. Brushwork reflects post‑impressionist tendencies, with a loosened handling of paint that balances realistic anatomy with expressive color modulation, reinforcing the painting’s meditative mood.
History & Provenance
After its completion in 1906, *Susanne* was shown in several prominent exhibitions during the early 1900s, aligning Hartmann with contemporary Danish artistic circles. The painting later entered the collection of Denmark’s national gallery, Statens Museum for Kunst, where it remains on display as a representative example of the artist’s mature post‑impressionist output.
Artist & collection
Artist
Oluf Hartmann (16 February 1879 – 16 January 1910) was a Danish painter. Trained at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, he showed his works at important exhibitions in the 1900s.
