The artwork titled “Portrait of the Painter Jensen Hjell” is a notable creation by the renowned artist Edvard Munch. Completed in the year 1885, this oil on canvas piece is a portrait that falls under the Impressionism movement. The artwork measures 190 by 100 centimeters and is currently housed at the National Gallery in Oslo, Norway.
The artwork captures the figure of Jensen Hjell standing in a relaxed yet assertive pose. The painter is depicted full-length, which is rather uncommon for the typical impressionist portrait, suggesting a more formal approach to this representation. His attire is marked by a dark suit, complete with a fashionable, albeit understated, waistcoat and tie, a look that suggests the daily attire of a respectable gentleman from that period. The subject’s stance, with one hand resting on a cane and the other casually placed in his trouser pocket, emanates a sense of confidence and self-assurance.
Munch’s brushwork reveals loose, expressive strokes—a hallmark of the Impressionist style—that lend a certain vitality to the composition while also giving an impression of spontaneous creation. The color palette is relatively muted, featuring shades of browns and blacks that dominate the attire of Jensen Hjell against a similarly toned background. Naturalistic tones are present in the representation of Jensen Hjell’s flesh, particularly in the facial area, which is illuminated and contrasts with the darker attire.
The artist’s use of light and shadow is subtle, yet it effectively models the figure and gives depth to the composition. The slightly blurred facial features, along with the dimly lit background, contribute to an intimate atmosphere that invites speculation about the painter’s personality and mood at the moment.
This portrait exudes the sensibility of the Impressionist movement, though it also hints at Munch’s unique style that would later evolve into the Symbolist and Expressionist movements for which he is best known. Despite its earlier creation date, the portrait intuits the psychological undercurrents that Munch would explore more fully in his later career.
