Yearning for Spring 1901

Curator: This is Ferdinand Hodler’s “Yearning for Spring,” currently residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's immediately striking—the figure amidst what looks like a field of dense flowers, all in such stark monochrome. Curator: Hodler often used symbolism connected to nature and the human figure, particularly in addressing universal themes such as life, death, and rebirth. Editor: I'm interested in the sheer labor involved in creating such a detailed field of repeated forms. It speaks to the intense desire implied by the title. It's yearning made material. Curator: Yes, and Hodler’s art was often seen as a form of social commentary during a time of great political and social change in Europe. His focus on universal themes was, in some ways, a reaction against specific nationalistic narratives. Editor: Looking at it now, the flowers also seem like the materialization of a hope, growing densely out of the earth. It’s quite evocative when you consider the process of creation. Curator: Absolutely. It’s interesting how this one work manages to speak to both the personal and the political. Editor: I agree. Considering the labor and yearning inherent in its making, it offers a powerful reflection on desire and hope.