Der Dichter (The Poet) 1920

Editor: This drypoint print, “The Poet” by Lovis Corinth, done in 1920, gives me such a brooding feeling. The harsh lines and deep shadows really emphasize the weight of…something. What do you make of it? Curator: Brooding, yes, absolutely. It’s a portrait of introspection, isn’t it? Corinth, wrestling with the zeitgeist of German Expressionism after the first world war, scratches and etches a mood far more profound than simple likeness. Do you notice how his right hand barely caresses the crumpled fabric on his lap? It's an odd placement for his hand, don't you think? As if the body is trying to rest itself... or is about to leap into action. Editor: Definitely unsettling, yes, and the face seems half-hidden. I mean, the man seems weighed down and in deep thought. Do you think that maybe Corinth is alluding to the weight that many Germans were dealing with? Curator: Perhaps the artist captured the spirit of the disillusioned intelligentsia. But that’s only *one* way to see this. Do you think the drypoint as a medium influences your reaction? Editor: In that the unforgiving and jagged nature definitely accentuates that disquieting feeling, I do think that this artistic decision amplifies the themes. I had never thought about how the medium adds meaning to the message, I will definitely keep an eye on that from now on. Curator: See? Art whispers when we get close enough.