Gier 1886 - 1938

Editor: This is "Gier" by Anton Vincent Emanuel Pohl, created sometime between 1886 and 1938. It's a woodcut, a type of print. The first thing that strikes me is how imposing the vulture looks. All those sharp angles make it feel quite powerful and a bit ominous. What are your thoughts on this piece? Curator: Ominous indeed! It makes me wonder about what Pohl intended to capture with this creature. It’s more than just a bird on a branch, isn’t it? I find myself contemplating the cycle of life and death and how, in German Expressionism, artists were interested in conveying inner emotions through sometimes unsettling imagery. How does it make you feel beyond its starkness? Do you see any vulnerability? Editor: Vulnerability, that's an interesting point! Maybe in the bird's solitary stance, perched all alone? Though it still feels quite stoic. But tell me more about German Expressionism's interest in "unsettling imagery.” How did that influence Pohl’s depiction, specifically here? Curator: Think of the jagged lines, not just here, but generally in the movement. It is almost as if Pohl carves not just the bird but its entire… mood. These stark choices were intended to create visceral reactions, perhaps inviting us to confront uncomfortable truths. The question I ask myself: Is he romanticizing nature, or is nature a mirror for something within us all? Editor: It does leave me with more questions than answers! Now, I can appreciate the underlying complexity of portraying more than just a vulture here, I understand there is also vulnerability and the depiction of inner emotions as you say. Thanks! Curator: Absolutely! And perhaps, it's in that discomfort that art truly begins to resonate. What’s important is to be open to the journey of meaning this evokes.