The Hanged Man 1850 - 1865

Curator: Here we have Victor Hugo's "The Hanged Man," dating from around 1850 to 1865, executed in ink and watercolor. Editor: Stark, isn't it? Very desolate. The composition pulls you right in—that stark black gallows against the washed-out background. Curator: Hugo was quite the political figure. This piece surely speaks to his stance against capital punishment, the macabre imagery acting as a stark indictment of state-sponsored violence. We see similar themes across his literary works, particularly resonating during the Second Republic. Editor: Absolutely. And you feel that history in the very making. Look at the pooling of the ink, the almost violent application on the gallows. It wasn't created for pleasantries; the artistic labor really underscores the grim subject matter. Were these materials readily available to him during his exile? It adds another layer if so. Curator: He was in exile during much of this period, yes. He likely used what was available to him in the Channel Islands. What interests me is how Hugo, primarily known as a writer, engaged with visual art to extend his political reach. This drawing allows for immediate, gut-level engagement beyond the written word. Editor: That restricted material availability probably fuelled that rawness we were talking about, that powerful impact. Also note the swarming birds: nature indifferent to man's cruelty, perhaps? Curator: Precisely, the natural world persisting, even thriving, alongside human suffering. It echoes broader Romantic themes too: nature as a witness and a force that dwarfs human endeavors. Editor: It does makes you think about the societal cost when even intellectuals, like Hugo, find themselves driven to repurpose and reuse accessible matter for art in such turbulent times. Curator: Indeed, it is a reflection of both his personal struggles and a broader societal critique, a visceral reaction captured in ink and watercolor. Editor: For me, understanding the circumstances, it highlights not just what Hugo depicted, but how constraints drove a different kind of artistic output that really amplifies his message. Curator: Thank you. Hopefully this gives everyone listening insight on Hugo's process of politicizing Romanticism through visual works of art. Editor: It all underscores that sometimes the most impactful statements are wrought from the starkest, rawest means at hand.