Perilous Night by Jasper Johns

Perilous Night by Jasper Johns
Jasper Johns, Perilous Night, 1982, encaustic on canvas with objects, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Robert and Jane Meyerhoff Collection 1995.79.1

Another interpretation is that the left side depicts a terrible but unfathomable event, the right its aftermath. The wounded arms and the handkerchief, suggesting mourning, hint at death. This might justify the dark mood of the painting, which recalls the theme of the Grünewald altarpiece. The role of the other elements on the right side—the paintings and the musical score—is less clear. Perhaps they reflect the way artists such as Johns and Cage have used systems of marks and signs that both direct and obscure meaning.