Susanne 1906

Curator: We’re looking at Oluf Hartmann’s print “Susanne” from 1906, created using etching and aquatint techniques, currently held in the collection of the SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst. Editor: It has a nightmarish quality about it. Three figures seem to be carrying another limp form. The contrast is stark, and the figures are rather…grotesque, their faces filled with an almost animalistic tension. Curator: Observe the print closely, there are tonal variations from light grays to almost solid blacks. The artist skillfully wields these techniques to create distinct contrasts. We must appreciate how Hartmann uses this method to add a distinct atmospheric element that draws you into a disturbing scene. Editor: Indeed, it's fascinating to observe how those tonal shifts influence the visual weight of the figures. And those contorted postures – the vulnerability is amplified by that slumped, carried figure. The faces are telling, I can see symbols of anxiety and stress. The woman's open-mouthed expression... the pursed features on another, almost predatory-looking. I think this piece evokes societal fears related to sex, violence and objectification. Curator: From a structural viewpoint, the artist forms visual intrigue through distorted anatomy and complex compositions, making this art so attractive for a symbolist. What feelings, reactions, and thoughts, does it leave? Is the female form being held something more? Hartmann makes his own rules and that leads to artistic exploration and visual language. Editor: To me, this print reads as a powerful allegorical statement. It reflects enduring concerns surrounding power, vulnerability, and the shadow self. But considering its composition, light, form and overall darkness of being held in danger is more frightening. It holds lasting symbolic force that triggers many visceral associations. Curator: Your view offers insight into decoding and appreciating the interplay between technical method and symbolic weight within it. Editor: Likewise, analyzing construction and artistic intent has created the way it exists and has expanded my consideration of meaning.