Preben Hornung (1919-1989)
1956
Charcoal, ink and gouache on paper
30 1/2″ x 43 1/2″

Preben Hornung was a Danish painter of portraits and urban landscapes, but he was also influential in establishing abstract art in Denmark.

Unlike many of his Danish contemporaries, Hornung was inspired by city life: by sooty buildings and meat markets, by railroad tracks and dense crowds. That inspiration is quite evident in this particular work. We might see commuters on a train, or pedestrians walking behind scaffolding. There is a sense of industry and infrastructure in the strong geometries of the composition.

He exhibited first with Den Frie and later with the Decembrists, both Danish artists’ organizations which resisted the restrictive entry requirements of the established Charlottenborg.

Signed in lower left corner. Displayed in a handsome gilt frame, 36” x 49”.