Harlekijn en Colombine c. 1843 - 1920

Curator: Harlekijn en Colombine, created by Franz Graf von Pocci sometime between 1843 and 1920. This graphic print really jumps out, I think it is pretty fantastical how it visualizes storytelling with silhouettes. What is your interpretation? Editor: Well, first, the immediate impression is that of organized chaos. The work is comprised of different rows of silhouettes seemingly showing short vignettes in graphic black-and-white, organized and segmented in rows. Curator: Precisely. Note the inherent tension created by the positive and negative space. The stark contrast forces a keen awareness of the forms themselves, almost abstracted yet immediately recognizable. Editor: I see that now! I hadn’t thought about the impact of just using the black and white values. What’s interesting about this piece besides the silhouette method? Curator: Consider the artist's deliberate arrangement. The linearity in format of the image draws attention to the composition: is this meant to be read in sequence? How do the individual panels interact with one another and contribute to the artwork as a whole? Does each row represent a complete thought or action? What’s their narrative? Editor: That makes the images appear as film stills laid side-by-side. So we should be trying to understand the form, the lines and shapes, more than seeking cultural clues in its original context? Curator: I'd suggest analyzing Pocci’s formal techniques, its structure and materiality as you suggest, to understand the creator’s aesthetic and intention first. Does that alter how you view it? Editor: Definitely. Thinking about the form of the piece helps bring out the playful narrative, even without fully understanding the cultural context. Now, each section reads almost like different acts in a theater play. Curator: It becomes a structural puzzle that reveals more with focused observation!