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

These interpretations offer insight but not a comprehension of the painting. "Decoding" is irresistible, but the parts do not add up to a whole. Meaning is accreted by elements—the cast, the score, the reference to the Isenheim Alterpiece—which themselves have long and complex histories. Yet, Johns argues that his intentions are irrelevant because meaning emerges between the painting and the individual looking at it.