Sandven Art

    Fine art sales and advisory — Oslo & Zürich

    Horst Janssen (1929–1995)

    German

    Horst Janssen was a German draughtsman and printmaker whose art placed drawing at the centre of an unusually varied practice. Born in Hamburg in 1929 and raised in Oldenburg, he studied under Alfred Mahlau. Portraits, landscapes, still lifes and imaginative transformations recur throughout his work. His command of line ranges from dense, restless marks to precise observation, often linking images with writing and the traditions of earlier art.

    Biography

    Horst Janssen trained at Hamburg's Landeskunstschule after the Second World War. Early work in illustration developed alongside experiments with woodcut, lithography and other print processes. In 1957, Paul Wunderlich introduced him to etching, which became an important part of his practice. Janssen's subjects changed over time, but close observation and the expressive possibilities of drawing remained central. From the later 1960s, landscape took on an increasing role, followed by sustained engagement with nature and with the work of earlier artists. His responses to Hokusai and Claude Lorrain combined study with personal transformation. Books, letters and graphic sequences connected visual work with language. The Horst-Janssen-Museum in Oldenburg documents this range through exhibitions, research and its account of the artist's career.

    Available works

    Horst Janssen – Stilleben (candle)

    Stilleben (candle), 1982

    Photograph

    Horst Janssen – Stilleben (drawing board)

    Stilleben (drawing board), 1982

    Photograph

    Horst Janssen – Stilleben (duck)

    Stilleben (duck), 1982

    Photograph

    Horst Janssen – Stilleben (potatoes)

    Stilleben (potatoes), 1982

    Photograph

    Collecting & enquiries

    Janssen's work rewards close attention to mark-making, tone and the transformation of familiar subjects. Before selecting a work, establish its exact medium and relationship to the artist's graphic practice. Contact Sandven Art for information on the pieces shown here and any available supporting documentation.

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    Sources and further reading