Asger Jorn: "Les animaux domestiques", 1955. Signed. Oil on canvas. 105 x 87 cm. Estimate: DKK 1-1.2 million.

Asger Jorn: Painting from The Crucial Years

Asger Jorn's luminous work "Les animaux domestiques" from 1955 sparks the imagination with a swarm of small creatures and bears witness to a period in the artist's life, which becomes crucial both personally and artistically.

At the summer Live Auction on 18 June 4 pm, we present a true gem from one of Denmark’s greatest artists. Asger Jorn's painting entitled "Les animaux domestiques" originates from a pivotal period. Art historian Guy Atkins considers the period from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s as the heart of Jorn’s oeuvre.

An Untamed Engagement with Art

Life as an artist was tough in the early 1950s. Jorn lived under modest and primitive conditions with his second wife, Matie van Domselaer, and their family in a small apartment in Paris. Weakened by malnutrition and tuberculosis, he collapsed and was hospitalized at Silkeborg Sanatorium. The works he created afterward bear the mark of his confrontation with death. They are executed with great energy, painterly confidence, and an untamable zest for brush and colour – almost bursting beyond the limits of the canvas.

The Duality of the Artwork

During this period, Jorn often used witty, playful titles that are a chapter in themselves within his production. They shift depending on mood, location, and switching between Danish, English, German, and French. "Les animaux domestiques", like many of his works, contains a double meaning and is teeming with tiny creatures. Eyes peek out from folds of colour, and the imagination is truly sparked. With its luminous palette, the work appears inviting despite the underlying darkness. The figures are connected by swirling ribbons of colour across the surface, creating a family portrait woven together by both love and longing.

A New Beginning

The year 1954 marks a new start, as Jorn fully commits to an international career. He works and travels nomadically across Italy, France, Germany, England, and Belgium, forging connections, organizing exhibitions, and creating art. His major breakthrough arrives in 1958 with the masterpiece "Lettre à mon fils" (Letter to My Son), displayed at The World Exhibition in Paris.

The upcoming auction offers a unique opportunity to acquire a key piece from this pivotal period in Jorn’s life. We will also present several other art works by the artist. The entire collection will be exhibited at the preview from 12-17 June at the auction house in Lyngby.