Skizze zur ‘Marter des Hl. Hippolyt’ 1860 - 1880

Editor: So, this is Hans Canon's "Skizze zur 'Marter des Hl. Hippolyt'" – a sketch for ‘The Martyrdom of St. Hippolytus’ – created sometime between 1860 and 1880, and rendered in oil paint. It’s quite shadowy, dramatic even… I'm intrigued by the ambiguity. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Ah, yes, the murkiness! It feels less like looking at a definitive statement and more like eavesdropping on an idea in its most nascent, volatile form. Canon's figures are emerging, ghost-like, from the darkness – or being consumed by it. This to me evokes that turbulent period when Romanticism began its fascinating dance with the more representational and historical-narrative focused styles. You could say that he's conjuring up history as a dreamscape, as a felt experience rather than a record of verifiable facts. What emotional notes does the painting strike in you? Editor: Definitely a sense of unease, of something violent but also spiritual. The way the light hits certain figures almost makes them look like they are ascending, while others seem trapped. Curator: Exactly! The sketch is charged with the energy of transformation, that charged point when suffering possibly transcends to spiritual triumph. Do you see hints of that struggle mirrored in the broader movements of the art world at that time, too? Editor: I do, actually. I guess I hadn’t thought of it that way – as a reflection of the struggle between different artistic movements themselves! Curator: Art, just like life, is frequently mirroring, a layered conversation through the ages. Thank you for those insights. Editor: And thank you for making me consider that even sketches can contain such powerful, historical narratives. It’s amazing how much history can be present even in the "unfinished".