Elisa vervloekt de kinderen 1722 - 1784

Editor: So, this is "Elisa vervloekt de kinderen," or "Elisha cursing the children," an engraving by Simon Fokke, probably made sometime in the mid-18th century. There’s definitely a powerful sense of drama! What I'm seeing looks pretty intense; you’ve got Elisha, looking rather imposing, surrounded by, what looks like, imminent… peril? How do you interpret this work? Curator: Ah, yes, a delicious dose of Old Testament drama, isn’t it? Beyond the initial impact, what I find so compelling is Fokke's ability to render such a furious, divine moment with such elegant lines. Can you sense the implied narrative brewing there? A holy man scorned, his bald head mocked by unruly children… What consequences await! And how wonderfully baroque – don't you think? - to have even the trees seem to recoil at the prophet's wrath. Editor: I do see what you mean about the trees – and the baroque style! I hadn’t thought of the elegance of the line work amidst all that. You said divine fury – the way the clouds roil overhead gives a sense of impending doom too! How did the artist use this line work? Curator: Precisely! It's all about channeling that divine rage. Notice how Fokke uses tight, controlled hatching to define Elisha’s figure, granting him a solid, almost sculptural presence against the more loosely rendered landscape. It's almost as if the strength of his faith *creates* that solidity, whereas chaos is breaking loose all around! What message would you take from it all? Editor: I think before this conversation, I missed a lot of what was going on. I mostly just saw a grumpy-looking guy. But now, with a deeper dive into the drama and the technique, it's clear it’s so much more than just that. Curator: Exactly! That's the marvelous thing about art, isn’t it? Every viewing, another layer unfolds. Each time, it will reveal something new, I swear.