Udkast til "Sif" 1904 - 1909

Editor: This pencil sketch is titled "Udkast til 'Sif'," or "Sketch for 'Sif'," made by Karl Isakson sometime between 1904 and 1909. There's something incredibly haunting about the figure, particularly how the face is averted, and this other... presence? What am I even looking at here? How do you interpret this work, thinking about its place and time? Curator: It's fascinating, isn't it? This sketch is particularly interesting when considering the symbolist movement's turn towards representing inner psychological states, often explored through mythological or allegorical figures. "Sif," in Norse mythology, is Thor's wife, known for her golden hair. This is merely a draft. But observe: Isakson doesn't portray her with the glorious golden hair described in the sagas; instead, we have this vulnerable, pensive figure. What do you make of that shadowy figure lurking behind her? Editor: It feels almost menacing, definitely unsettling. Almost like a dark force preying on Sif, and maybe her averted gaze has something to do with her wanting to avert the attention of this mysterious form behind her? Is Isakson perhaps hinting at darker narratives associated with feminine figures? Curator: Precisely. By deviating from the traditional, heroic depictions, Isakson participates in a broader fin-de-siècle trend of reinterpreting mythological characters. The 'Sif' myth was used in politically divisive writings as it was seen to be related to the alleged golden hair, of nordic, Scandinavian women, therefore this draft can be said to break the public image promoted during this era, especially with the subject looming behind her. Isakson gives her vulnerability. In museums we aim to interpret and understand the artwork according to that timeline, but we can always relate to those figures. How does she speak to us, today? Editor: That really casts the sketch in a new light! I initially only noticed the woman. Now I’m more aware of the art’s commentary. Thanks! Curator: Thank you! It’s always valuable to reconsider artworks through the lens of both historical context and contemporary perception.