Still Life with Fruit Bowl

About this work

This almost monochrome painting with green fruits on a white dish testifies to the great simplicity that would characterise Ville Jais-Nielsen’s art in the 1940s. The dish is placed in a space devoid of details. The subject has been pared back to a minimum. More than anything, the image unfolds itself through the interplay between the bright white edge of the dish, the paint applied in thick layers with a spatula, and the shades of grey and green in the fruit, the table and the wall. The result combines an intense material presence with a subtle and quiet quality. The picture was painted in the year when, due to her Jewish ancestry, Ville Jais-Nielsen had to leave Denmark with her daughter Lise Jais (1922-1996) and seek refuge in Stockholm while the rest of the family stayed behind. The escape to Sweden, undertaken on fishing boats from Gilleleje, was dreadful and was only accomplished after two unsuccessful attempts. Despite the hardships, her time in Sweden was of great artistic importance to her. After returning home, Ville Jais-Nielsen said in an interview: ‘I felt as if I only really matured up there. I received so many new impressions that made me feel enriched – but…