The Daily Valdemar No. 43: April 25
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| Valdemar Andersen, for Louis Levy, Børnerim (Children's Poems), Gyldendal 1904. |
Today's moment of calm is the refuge from the rain.
It is the companion to a poem on divorce by Louis Levy in his book of poems for children. The narrator is a small child begging the rain to continue for as long as possible for her father shall be leaving his wife and family as soon as it stops. So rain equals tears and the structure of life torn apart - children's books are not for grown ups - and Valdemar Andersen created a moment of finding consolation and safety together.
The sparrows is the decoration heading the page and as decorations go their balance is a difficult one that can so easily go wrong. The 19th century preferred them to be heavily ornamental while Valdemar Andersen belonged to a generation, who took inspiration from the scrolls and curves in nature while inviting in the light.
Everything before us is there for a reason. Each element is taking part in the story telling while connecting itself decoratively to the rest. The branch crossing the picture plane does so with energy and a heavy midsection where the sparrows weigh it down. Its weight is balanced by the branches to the right and left of it mirroring its movement. A piece of nature yet not at all and both remains at play.
The sparrows is the decoration heading the page and as decorations go their balance is a difficult one that can so easily go wrong. The 19th century preferred them to be heavily ornamental while Valdemar Andersen belonged to a generation, who took inspiration from the scrolls and curves in nature while inviting in the light.
Everything before us is there for a reason. Each element is taking part in the story telling while connecting itself decoratively to the rest. The branch crossing the picture plane does so with energy and a heavy midsection where the sparrows weigh it down. Its weight is balanced by the branches to the right and left of it mirroring its movement. A piece of nature yet not at all and both remains at play.
