Calvary 1923

Ludvig Karsten’s 'Calvary'—we don't know when it was made but it’s a wild landscape full of thick paint. I see Karsten working on this canvas, wrestling with it, and trying to get something down. There's a limited palette of blues, greens, and reds. Look at the two crucified figures. One is ghostly white, almost blending into the sky, while the other is a mass of red, like raw meat. The brushstrokes are broad and unrestrained. The paint is applied in a very physical way, with a palette knife maybe, or a heavily loaded brush. It’s visceral. I imagine Karsten thinking about mortality, faith, and suffering, channeling all of that energy into the painting. The surface is built up with layers of paint; an emotional record of his process. This feels very connected to other expressionists, like Munch. Artists who aren't afraid to confront intense feelings through paint. In the end, it's not about the story; it's about the feeling. And that’s what connects us, artist to artist, viewer to artist, across time.