In May 1949, Constand and his family visit Asger Jorn on the Danish island Bornholm. A personal tragedy takes place when Constant's wife, Matie, leaves him for Jorn. She takes their two daughters Martha and Olga and leaves their only son, Victor, with Constant.
Constant processes his heartache through his art: in Femme qui a blessé un oiseau avec une feuille morte, the bird represents himself and Jorn is depicted as a dead leaf.