Bovenkaak en deel van de schedel van een hyena before 1869

Editor: Here we have an image titled "Bovenkaak en deel van de schedel van een hyena," or "Upper jaw and part of the skull of a hyena," before 1869, made using lithograph print. It's rather stark, presented as a black and white study. What do you see in this piece, focusing on the artistic or aesthetic elements? Curator: Let's observe the image formally. Note the stark contrast employed. The artist utilizes chiaroscuro to sculpt the form of the bone fragment, pulling it out of the void. The textures are rendered meticulously, capturing the fossil's eroded surface. Observe the composition—the deliberate placement of the skull fragment within the rectangular frame, activating a visual dialogue between form and void. Editor: It seems like the artist really wanted to emphasize the physical characteristics, and textures of the subject. Curator: Precisely. The lines, although representational, contribute to a sophisticated interplay of positive and negative space. The work calls attention to the tension inherent in representing a three-dimensional object in two dimensions, which serves the study of visual communication that emphasizes the primacy of the art element. The artist engages with the formal properties of the lithograph print, transforming scientific representation into a complex aesthetic encounter. Is it not interesting how they balance verisimilitude with formal consideration? Editor: Yes, absolutely. Thinking about it solely as lines, tones, and space and ignoring the fact that is an upper jaw opens an intriguing approach. I hadn’t thought of it that way. Curator: The power of formalism encourages us to view the art as an experience with colors, lines, shape, texture, space, and composition. Editor: Thank you. This experience really changed the way I see the image, it helps to approach the picture as forms.