Jungle Motifs and Social Satire

Humourist and Humanist – Satirist and Social Critic

On the surface the art of Hans Scherfig (1905-1979) is all about the pure joy of imagery. Colours, stories and imagination. Not many have the ability that Sherfig had to reach a wide audience while not sacrificing his artistic and personal project. In his work – including the literary – the overall tone is humorous, clever and embracing. This is because Scherfig speaks to something universally human that at different levels can be understood by both children and adults. In this way his motifs are both suited for a child’s room as well as on the walls of dedicated art collectors – an artistic span only few can match.

The familiar jungle and savannah motifs – which in addition to elephants are inhabited by other exotic animals such as giraffes, monkeys, okapis and mandrills – exude vitality and a clean Arcadian bliss. But beneath the surface lies a razor sharp satirist and social critic, since Scherfig wanted to change the world. The artist stated the following about this duality in his work:

"People have sought a contrast between the idyllic paintings and the critical authorship and they have attributed a strange duality to me. I myself do not feel such an internal split – both my occupations belong here on earth. There are enough reasons to love this place, and there are also a few things to criticize."

The sharpness of both the pen and public spirit is something Scherfig already acquired during his childhood. The first elephant found its way onto paper already around the time of WW I as an expression of an emerging political consciousness in the very young artist. The elephants are a mainstay in his later work and continue to march heavily across paper and canvas, and precisely this design is one of the most sought after among collectors today.

Scherfig as a Collector’s Item

Hans Scherfig is in high demand, even outside Denmark, and the interest is reflected in the hammer prices that often exceed their initial estimates. To meet this demand, we are on the lookout for original artwork on canvas, paper and Masonite and graphic work for our upcoming auctions.