Christ Bearing the Cross 1923

Editor: This is Lovis Corinth’s "Christ Bearing the Cross." It's hard to pinpoint the date, but it’s a whirlwind of dark ink. What kind of emotional weight do you think Corinth was trying to convey here? Curator: The cross, a symbol laden with centuries of meaning, becomes almost secondary to the frenzied crowd. What do their faces tell you about humanity's relationship with suffering? Editor: It's like everyone is implicated, either complicit or horrified. Curator: Precisely. Corinth uses the image of the crowd as a mirror, reflecting our own capacity for both cruelty and empathy. Do you think the lack of a defined date adds to the timelessness of the message? Editor: Definitely. It makes the scene feel eternally relevant, like this could happen at any time. Curator: And that’s the power of iconic imagery – to transcend its immediate context and speak to universal truths. Editor: I see the power of symbolism so much more clearly now.