To kvinder slås om en mand 1906

Oluf Hartmann made this print, Two Women Fighting Over a Man, using etching. Though the date of this artwork is unknown, we can still try to contextualize this work within Hartmann’s Denmark at the turn of the century. The print depicts its subjects in an almost grotesque manner, which can be viewed in line with the period's fascination with psychological studies and the darker sides of the human condition. The figures seem to be in a claustrophobic space, perhaps referencing the artist’s own feelings of restriction at the time. The image has a brutal quality, and one might wonder if it critiques the social structures of Hartmann's time by portraying the rawness of human emotions, or whether it is a more private expression of internal conflict. To better understand this image, it is worth exploring the cultural and intellectual trends in Denmark during Hartmann's lifetime, including looking at the etching techniques used at the time. This way we can gain more insight into the role of art as a reflection of social norms.