Three men arguing 1820 - 1866

Editor: Right now we’re looking at a Victor Adam print, probably made somewhere between 1820 and 1866, called "Three men arguing." It has a definite storybook feel. I'm curious about what’s actually going on. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Ah, yes, Victor Adam. Immediately, I get the impression that we’re glimpsing a very theatrical disagreement! Look at the man gesturing emphatically – he practically commands the scene, doesn't he? Then the two others, one pinned, perhaps unjustly! Does this conflict strike you as particularly serious or something closer to performance? Editor: I see what you mean by theatrical. The way they are dressed makes me wonder whether it could be a historical re-enactment instead of a real dispute. Curator: Exactly! The period clothing hints at history painting, but it also seems slightly... askew. It is difficult to say, it seems both grand and playful simultaneously, wouldn't you agree? Look how their postures speak! Are they posturing more than arguing? Editor: Good point! Now, it makes sense why I had trouble trying to understand the emotion displayed here. Is that what you mean by blending creative expression? I didn’t consider that. Curator: Precisely! That creative liberty, that little wink the artist gives us through his rendering, makes it a delightful piece that really makes you think, huh? Editor: I hadn’t really thought about art from that perspective before, that you need to appreciate its "wink", its "personality". It really makes history seem alive, relatable somehow!