Death and the Youth, from the portfolio "Dance of Death" 1922

Curator: Lovis Corinth, born in 1858, made this plate called "Death and the Youth" which is part of his "Dance of Death" portfolio. Editor: It's striking, isn't it? The raw energy in the etching—almost feverish, like a half-remembered dream. The youth seems to embrace death. Curator: Indeed. Corinth's command of line and shadow creates a stark contrast. The youth's smooth skin, juxtaposed against the skull's rough texture, creates a powerful memento mori. Editor: It's more than just a reminder of mortality; the youth looks almost serene. Maybe Corinth suggests that death is not an end, but a dance, a transition. Curator: Perhaps, although that sort of reading risks sentimentalizing Corinth's formal intent, which foregrounds the binary opposition between life and death, revealed through contrasting textures and tonalities. Editor: It's difficult to be so cold about mortality. It's quite moving to see such a thing. Curator: A useful point, and yet, what we can say with certainty is that the piece prompts a visceral, albeit subjective response. Editor: Yes. In the end, it asks us to consider our own dance.