Ossian 1787

Curator: This engraving, created in 1787 by J.F. Clemens, is titled "Ossian," currently residing here at the SMK, Statens Museum for Kunst. Editor: My first thought? This looks like a wizard rock star just finishing an epic guitar solo, in a blizzard no less. I feel like the sheer volume of that hair just breaks any pretense of realism. It's wonderfully dramatic, slightly unhinged and sort of makes you question who decides whose stories get the limelight. Curator: Ossian is a fascinating figure, connected to the work of James Macpherson. Macpherson claimed to have translated ancient Gaelic poems, presenting them as the works of Ossian. The figure you see here actually becomes emblematic of Romantic ideals about national identity and antiquity during this era. But let’s also acknowledge, those so-called translations have faced extensive criticism and scholarly questioning about their authenticity, the discourse regarding it having connections to empire building, ethnic nationalism, colonialism and theories about civilization at that time. Editor: So, you're saying our rock star might be singing a tune someone else wrote…or rewrote, substantially? That kind of makes the whole dramatic pose even more compelling actually. This pose is all theatrical, but maybe that's just papering over something far less heroic? It feels performative. And look at the spear – decorative as much as useful, and just look at all the foliage behind him. It has such dense shading. Curator: Absolutely, and that's where the artistic choices become so significant. Clemens employs engraving, a medium that, at the time, aligned with disseminating idealized visions of history, nature and romanticism across Europe. Consider, too, the social function, where prints like these would have served as cultural currency, promoting certain notions about British heritage or connections with larger, almost mythic Celtic identities, so as such, they should be seen critically. Editor: Well, I see a really great headbanger emerging from a wintery fog machine…with serious caveats about the context and what exactly this particular performance tells us. It's more thought-provoking and layered than my initial rock star assessment perhaps suggested! Curator: Precisely! A surface, seemingly simplistic artwork invites us to engage in crucial debates. That makes engaging with art continually relevant.