Farvel 1862

Curator: Welcome. Today, we'll be looking at "Farvel," a lithograph drawing from 1862 by Adolph Kittendorff, currently residing in the SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst. Editor: Farewell, indeed! There's something incredibly poignant about this scene. The monochromatic palette contributes to the somber mood—like a fading memory etched onto paper. Curator: Absolutely. Kittendorff situates the woman against a landscape imbued with complex social narratives. Note the specificities of the cottage architecture and costume which are likely indicators of class and place. This image could be viewed as exploring themes of maritime life, gendered expectations and potential economic hardships of women in coastal communities. Editor: Right, you said the costume and what about that wave? Or maybe she is not waving, but shielding from the sun? Or it's goodbye and I will miss you like crazy and never ever going to see you again? Okay I need to calm down and not let melodrama take over but oh my God that little boat getting away…! Curator: Well, to bring it back to Earth, we must consider the visual language inherent in landscape depictions of the period. Remember the wave would signify more than just goodbye but it represents a symbolic barrier between woman and ship, also underscoring societal constraints placed upon women. Her power within society and economy depended heavily on husbands, fathers and sons in a patriarchal system which dictated nearly all dimensions of experience. Editor: I guess I was projecting my own fears of abandonment a bit too strongly! However, there's undeniably something captivating in how the composition utilizes this intimate space –a sense of yearning woven within domestic confines as she strains towards open sea in silent plea for connection Curator: An astute observation. By integrating gender theory and visual analysis, Kittendorff's "Farvel" illuminates the intersectionality of societal and individual struggle experienced historically by women in coastal communities Editor: Leaving behind romanticism I think is helpful. The scene starts making me wonder about a new vision when combining different angles regarding class, opportunity, desire…and I will think twice when I look at boats in a sea landscape from now on! Curator: I think that offers a helpful window onto a fuller appreciation of Kittendorf's thoughtful meditation about longing and restriction