Skovinterieur. 1919

Curator: Welcome. Before us, we have Othon Friesz’s “Skovinterieur,” completed in 1919. It's an atmospheric watercolor, currently residing at the SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst. Editor: The immediate effect is certainly calming. A hazy, filtered light and those earthy tones, mostly watercolor it seems, really capture the damp hush of a forest interior. There is an interesting use of linear perspective despite the painting's impressionistic leaning. Curator: Friesz painted quite a few landscapes in the plein-air style, drawn to the unspoiled wild. Forest spaces such as these are symbolically significant. They act as powerful reflections of the unconscious and inner realms of self-discovery. Do you feel it creates that feeling of inward exploration here? Editor: Yes, you’re right about the landscape carrying significant psychological weight. He seems more concerned with mood than precision in this sketch; for example, note the slightly out-of-kilter relationship of trunk-widths to height – that contributes to the dreamy, internalized feel, actually. A subtle choice of hues like indigo further emphasize the psychological aspect here. Curator: Agreed. The greens layered throughout the canopy and depths beyond almost shimmer like a stained-glass, evocative of something sacred. Forests hold strong pagan symbolism and connotations relating to natural spirits, so the colour contributes towards this idea. Editor: I concur with the reading on colouration, definitely lending a transcendent effect! It does speak towards something otherworldly. It is amazing how seemingly simple compositional decisions guide how it can feel that the trees are both enclosing and receding simultaneously. The execution overall is more suggestive than definitive, giving it space to breathe. Curator: It seems as though Friesz succeeds in encapsulating the forest as both refuge and potential place for transformation. Thanks to the artwork's emotional qualities that feel extremely personal, you can truly see why this painter was so beloved. Editor: I am glad that, ultimately, despite being incomplete in aspects of structural integrity, it doesn’t lose impact in expression thanks to an admirable sense of composition!