Jan Commandeur, Untitled, 1990, Acrylic,alkyd and oil paint on canvas
For Commandeur a memory of nature is the starting point of his work. However, he does not paint literally but tries to capture the poetry of a moment. This closely aligns with the German art historical term Stimmungsbild. What might this term mean?
The German Stimmungsbild literally translates to mood picture and is used to describe a figurative or visual portrayal of a particular emotion of a scene. This closely reflects Commandeur's approach to painting, as he explains: “I look at nature. That produces a memory. For me, that image in my memory is reality. A memory of a natural image thus becomes the rhythm of a new painting. I try to capture the poetry of a clear moment, a moment that is seen, because it is recognised. Beautiful or not beautiful.”
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