En due 1896

Curator: The print we’re looking at is titled "En due," created by Frans Schwartz in 1896. It’s an etching, held at the SMK, the National Gallery of Denmark. Editor: Oh, yes, a dove. Or, "En due" which I presume means "A Dove". Immediately striking—the sheer energy radiating from it. Like the bird is about to burst right out of the frame. You feel the whoosh of the wings. Curator: Schwartz often focused on capturing fleeting moments. Etching, with its fine lines, allowed him to express the dynamism he sought in depicting life, like capturing the essence of form and movement. Editor: Absolutely. The line work creates almost a chaotic texture, but within that apparent chaos, there’s an exquisite detail—particularly in the bird's face and the feathers. Makes me think about how nature isn't ordered; it's brimming, vital... messy. Curator: Schwartz’s work aligns with late 19th-century interests in realism and capturing authentic life. What’s interesting about displaying sketches like these is they let us observe the stages of production within an artwork that would usually be hidden from a viewer. Editor: I think this connects with why it appeals to me. We see the artistic struggle, and in turn feel his passion—see the work being created and born on the paper, mid-flight, very moving. Curator: It is fascinating how it allows for such a raw sense of immediacy. To understand how our institutions help to display the full range of creative activity in both unfinished and so-called 'finished' works really helps viewers appreciate the value of museums. Editor: Very well said. It's one thing to intellectually grasp Schwartz's technical skill, and it’s a completely different experience to stand before "En due" and viscerally sense its urgent vitality. It feels timeless and extremely relevant. Curator: A perfect encapsulation of a fleeting moment—and a testament to the enduring power of art to connect us across time. Editor: Agreed. Now, I wonder what else he may have etched mid-flight.