Back from a trip to Jutland
Just been in Jutland for a couple of days. So, yet again I haven’t had time to process my images. I hope to have some new stuff up from Australia very soon though.
Saturday we went up to the very top of Jutland – hadn’t been there for 20 years, and my wife have never been there. I must say it was somewhat of a disappointment.
But let’s start with the positive experiences:
1) The House of Drachmann. Unlike the house of two other painters, this was a very pleasant experience. The house is very close both in exterior and interior to when Drachmann died, and you had this feeling of trespassing on the guy, with his clothes still hanging at the entrance and in the closet. The lady running the place also made you feel welcome, and had an abundance of information to share. Should you ever find yourself near Skagen, do have a look.
2) Lunch at the harbour. A lot of restaurants, fair prices, and very pleasant atmosphere.
The not so positive experiences:
1) The House of the Anchers. Very different experience then the house of Drachmann. For starters there where no photographing, which where pointed out to us as we entered – I hate that, in fact I think I’m going to boycott places with that policy from now on. One thing is prohibiting the use of tripods and flash, but no photographing at all! Second every item in the house had a very visible copper wire attached to it, spoiling the illusion of a home somewhat. As a last complaint, not event the hole house where accessible. And all this for twice the amount paid at Drachmann’s house.
2) The abandoned sand up church. Well… I remember it as actually having sand around it, not gravel roads, grass, trees, and a souvenir stand inside. But maybe that’s just selective memory on my part, but the magic wasn’t there.
3) The town of Skagen. What can I say, it’s a tourist town for sure. I guess it can be handeled worse, I’ve seen worse, but still it seem like what made the town a tourist town in the fist place is gone, and now there are just the tourists left. I might be too harsh in my judgement.
4) The light. My wife where most disappointed by this. Despite the all the talk about the special light at Skagen – the reason so many painters in the late eighteen hundreds chose to stay there. I’ve never noticed it, and my wife didn’t see it. But without knowing anything about it, I can imagine the light being very different 120 years ago. First of all there where less pollution in the air, less trees and more sand, reflecting the light in a very special way. That combined with the two oceans on either side of the land (one thing that hasn’t changed) I can see how it would create a special light, but not anymore – not from where I was standing anyway.
Søren Johansen Photography 