Jens Johannessen
Jens Johannessen, born in Orkdal in 1934, is a Norwegian painter and printmaker. He studied under Roar Wold in Trondheim and subsequently under Reidar Aulie at the National Academy of Fine Arts in Oslo. His work moves between recognisable subjects and abstraction, with a continuing interest in the physical qualities of paint. He has used several printmaking techniques, particularly lithography.
From painterly movement to cut paint layers
In the 1960s, Johannessen engaged with international painting. From the decade's end he developed his skjærebilder: colours were layered, then upper layers cut away with a palette knife to reveal those beneath. Glazes, stamps and stencils could contribute to the process. The technique combines the painted surface with an exploration of depth.
There is no single formula for his imagery. His prints of the 1970s can combine divided fields, human figures and ornament associated with Norwegian folk art. Calmer areas of colour became more prominent in the lithographic series Fleur, Stemmegaffel and Tydalskirken in the early 1980s. Spontaneous lines and smaller shapes nevertheless introduce tension into these compositions.
Documented works and later painting
The National Museum's Figur i rom (1971) is oil on canvas, measuring 69.5 × 90.5 cm. Its Trøndersk høstlandskap is a colour lithograph on paper, catalogued with the date “(1993)” and an edition of 200. These details apply to the catalogued work, not to Johannessen's prints generally.
The later years of his production also belong in an account of his work. The Astrup Fearnley Museum's exhibition Allegory: Paintings in 2002 and 2003 presented paintings made between 1998 and 2002. It demonstrates why Johannessen should be understood as an artist who continued to explore the possibilities of painting beyond his early cut-layer works.
Identifying an individual work
A subject may exist in a technique different from the one initially assumed. Compare its title, image dimensions, sheet dimensions, materials and any edition information with documentation for the particular work. For prints, examine the entire sheet and the annotations in its margins. For paintings, the surface and reverse are relevant. Also check for fading, discolouration, tears and alterations to the surface. A signature, numbering or resemblance to a known subject does not by itself establish authenticity, technique or membership of a particular edition.
Read more about modernism, artist signatures, provenance and ownership history.
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View the OBA item listing associated with this artist (Norwegian page).
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Sources and further reading
- Store norske leksikon: Jens Johannessen, in Norwegian
- Norsk kunstnerleksikon: Jens Johannessen, in Norwegian
- Kunst på Arbeidsplassen: Johannessen's prints, in Norwegian
- National Museum: Figur i rom, in Norwegian
- National Museum: Trøndersk høstlandskap, in Norwegian
- Astrup Fearnley Museum: Allegory: Paintings
