Dragon Awakens 

Editor: Okay, here we have Theodor Kittelsen’s "Dragon Awakens," created with charcoal, maybe around the late 19th century, judging from the Romanticism. What strikes me is the creature itself. It's emerging from the fog with this bizarrely frog-like face. What’s your take? What are we meant to feel here? Curator: Ah, Kittelsen. Always pulling us into his fantastical, slightly unsettling world. Forget your typical fire-breathing, hoard-guarding dragon, right? The frog-like face is exactly it! It disrupts the expectation. What do you think that disruption *does*, though? Is it purely aesthetic, or is there something else happening? Editor: Maybe…it's more about primordial fear than majestic power? This isn't a kingly dragon; it's something ancient and lurking, reborn out of the mists. It feels much darker. Curator: Dark, yes, absolutely. Kittelsen was Norwegian, and tapped into the Norse sagas, full of hidden things. Also he was very interested in Norwegian folklore, he illustrated fairytales and incorporated elves, trolls, and more in his illustrations. Now think about how he is drawing these elements? He wants to get a reaction out of the viewer. You could imagine those mountains are whispering stories to him, couldn’t you? Do you know what I find particularly haunting? Editor: Tell me! Curator: How much he leaves to our imagination! The body is shrouded in mist and charcoal. And notice where your eye goes! Does it not get stuck in that glowing throat? I find this almost comical for the frightening being, and again disrupting to any of our expectation. We only see the moment of…birth? Awakening? The possibility of what could come next. Kittelsen gives you a beginning, and then abandons you there to dream and scream and hope all on your own. Editor: I see what you mean! This piece gives Romanticism such an eerie twist! Now, I wonder how did Kittelsen made it so ambiguous by making it humorous? Curator: Kittelsen invites us to fill the gaps. What does *that* dragon mean *to you*? And how did it wake up? Editor: I will be sure to wonder how dragons even fall asleep.