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Hermanus Berserik
Mien’s Loom, 1980
Objects presented as people play a significant role in the work of Hermanus Berserik (1921-2002). In this case, it’s the loom belonging to Mien, his wife. The painting almost transports us into the room, it’s as if you could pluck the yarn. The wooden construction holding the loom is ‘cropped’ in th
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e foreground. Berserik often used this trick: positioning an element in the foreground as a ‘barrier’ between the viewer and the rest of the scene. This adds depth; the lamp has the same effect.
The frame of the loom creates a charming view into the composition. We see various weaving attributes, and two artworks hanging on the door in the background. The lower work is a copy of a painting by French artist Odilon Redon (1840-1916), Still Life with a Lemon and a Pepper, acquired by the Haags Gemeentemuseum (nowadays Kunstmuseum Den Haag) in 1977. Berserik probably saw the work at the museum.
The violet weave stands out against the other muted colours; it resembles an abstract painting and is typical of Berserik’s work from the period. Berserik may have learned this type of abstraction from the artist Rein Draijer (1899-1986), one of his tutors at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague.
Text: Boris Ariaens, guide and museum host
Artist
Hermanus Berserik
Title
Mien’s Loom
Year
1980
Technique
Acrylic on canvas
Size
40 x 50 cm (h x w)
Type of object
Painting
Copyright
© Pictoright
This work is protected by copyright. You need permission from the creator or his heir to download, edit, copy or publish it.
