J. K. Huysmans 1894

Editor: This is Eugène Delâtre’s print of J. K. Huysmans, from around the turn of the century. It has a surprisingly intimate feel. How do you interpret the domestic setting and the inclusion of the cat? Curator: The cat, the religious statue, and even Huysmans's pose are laden with meaning. The cat is a long-standing symbol of the occult, and a symbol of comfort. The statue suggests a similar duality, a potential return to the sacred. Do you see how they reflect Huysmans's complex spiritual journey? Editor: That’s fascinating. I hadn’t considered how the objects themselves were symbolic of his internal struggles. It gives so much more depth to what initially seemed like a simple portrait. Curator: Exactly! Delâtre uses these visual cues to tell a deeper story about Huysmans’s evolving faith and philosophical leanings. Editor: It's amazing how much can be communicated through carefully chosen imagery. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! It's these layers of meaning that make art so rewarding to explore.