Søeborg, Axel (1872-1939)

The ochre yawn of autumn and the bitter sleep of winter are the preoccupations of Danish artist Axel Søeborg's landscapes. With his singular hand, Søeborg spent twenty years capturing the rich palette of the Nordic countryside. He also had a penchant for dark interiors and contemplative, psychological self-portraits.

Søeborg's artistic career began as a house painter, but he soon changed his mind and turned to a more refined style of art. He began his studies at the drawing school of the Vermehren brothers, Gustav and Sophus, sons of the eminent Frederik Vermehren (1823-1910). His training continued at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, and with the figure painters Laurits Tuxen (1853-1927) and Peter Alfred Schou (1844-1914). Schou's dark interiors and moody scenes were Søeborg's greatest source of inspiration.

Søeborg lends a contemplative, insightful atmosphere to close-up, curious depictions of simply furnished interiors. The gaze of his subjects, usually himself and an unknown woman, is imbued with psychological intensity. They fix the viewer with a piercing gaze. Combined with a strong use of shadow to envelop the rooms in intimacy, and a radiant use of light to make his subjects the focus of the scenes, the viewer is drawn into a scene filled with emotion.

Indeed, his self-portraits in particular have this intense quality. A striking Søeborg is depicted in strong, almost cubist lines, in profile but with his eyes fixed on the viewer. His gaze is heavy, his eyebrows very pronounced. Søeborg's strong use of light and shadow adds to the gravity, giving the scene a curious, otherworldly effect. One gets the impression that melancholy thoughts lurk behind those eyes. Combined with the darkness of the room, the tone is pensive and somber.

It's interesting to wonder what the painting offered Søeborg. Perhaps it was a mirror in which he could reflect the way he saw himself and the world around him. The psychological aspect that seems to underlie these works could be the cause. Whatever the case, it seems clear that he felt the emotional intensity of painting and used it to experiment with the medium as well as to explore his own perception of himself.

Beyond the interior, Søeborg also found much inspiration in the natural world. During the twenty years he spent living and traveling in Sweden, he captured the changes and transformation of nature as the seasons passed.

From Jamtland to Dalarna, across Småland, Søeborg's psychological brush seems to capture the emotion as well as the physical changes of nature.

Through his judicious use of lighting, Søeborg seems to imbue his canvases with the mood of nature. An autumn fire sets her canvas ablaze with ochre and earthy umber, obscuring the sky. A silvery sheet of suffocating winter descends on a village, smothering it in snow and adding an oppressive coldness. Then spring arrives, piercing the veil of immobility. Water flows freely, reflecting the bare arc of a stretched branch. The sumptuous grass and brightening sky in the background promise new life.

These fascinating representations of nature and the self did not enjoy immediate success in the art world. However, thanks to numerous exhibitions throughout Europe, Søeborg eventually gained recognition. A solo exhibition in 1937, one of many, sealed the deal. Søeborg died unexpectedly two years later.

Today, many of his works are preserved in museums in Aalborg and Sønderborg, Denmark.