A Battle Painter (Jergen Sonne) in his Studio, c.1826 (oil on canvas)

Jergen Sonne is depicted among an artist’s bric-a-brac, seated on a drum and surrounded by numerous accessories. This portrait shows the capacity of artists to use their imagination to rise above the mundane. Under the gaze of the statuette of Napoleon, Sonne is concentrating on a uniform draped over a bayonet which serves as a soldier for his study. AN ARTIST'S LIFE UP CLOSE While many military accessories indicate that he is a battle painter, the bread and water are a reminder of the young artist's poverty. Nevertheless, the guitar, bottle of alcohol, packet of tobacco and skull wearing a hat all hint at merry evenings spent among friends.