School Outing c. 1930

Editor: So, this is Eva Marie Schlenzig's "School Outing," made around 1930. It's a print, so I guess based on a drawing... pen drawing maybe. There's a bunch of figures, some children, maybe a teacher… the mood is, well, kind of haunting, almost theatrical. What leaps out at you? Curator: The theatrical feeling, absolutely. There’s almost a stage-like composition. It makes me wonder, is this memory? A dream? The figures in "School Outing" are lined up, but each seems lost in their own little world, except for the little girl in front looking straight at you, as if beckoning. Notice how Schlenzig plays with the grotesque—especially in that unruly hair. Have you seen anything similar before? Editor: Maybe some Expressionist prints? The strong lines and the emotional feel... it’s there. The background figures remind me a little of James Ensor with those blank stares. But those foreground figures, they really capture something youthful and intense. Curator: Exactly. I wonder if the almost unsettling energy comes from childhood memories and societal expectations – both of which seem to hover throughout the work. Childhood as a mix of wonder and consternation... I sense it keenly here, don’t you? And that little dog curled up asleep at the bottom – what do you make of that? Editor: It almost feels like the real world. Maybe this memory isn't totally bad and chaotic; a sleepy dog brings some stability and tenderness, a normal touch. Curator: Lovely insight! Almost like a warm hug after confronting shadowy feelings! Thinking about that original pen and ink drawing which informs the print we are gazing at, so bold with dense cross-hatching... a wonderful vehicle for exploring difficult topics, such as youth. Editor: I never really considered how the style amplified those deeper, personal themes. Now I want to read more about the artist's history and experiences.