Etude - fantasie 1867 - 1890

Editor: Here we have Philip Zilcken’s "Etude - fantasie", made sometime between 1867 and 1890. It’s a work on paper, primarily using ink and pencil. It’s incredibly delicate; the lines are so fine. It almost feels like looking at a faded memory. What draws your eye when you see this piece? Curator: You've hit upon something crucial already: memory. It feels intensely personal, doesn’t it? The haziness, the way the structure almost melts into the water... it evokes a sense of looking back, of things fading at the edges. Perhaps even a slight feeling of longing. Do you notice how the artist uses light? Editor: Yes! It’s like the scene is caught between light and shadow, making the buildings look like they're emerging from the mist. It makes it hard to tell what exactly is water, or solid foundation of these buildings. Curator: Precisely. It could be said that Zilcken plays with our perception of reality. The scene is recognizable, likely a waterside town, but the execution allows it to float in the realm of imagination. Do you see the small figures? The feeling is very evocative and reminiscent of the French Barbizon school which had a focus on naturalistic scenes. I love imagining the stories behind them! What do you make of them? Editor: The figures add this silent narrative, which makes it so much more than just a pretty waterside landscape. They create the question "where are they going and where are they coming from?" They make you ask even more questions about the work. Curator: Exactly. And perhaps Zilcken’s inviting us to invent our own stories, to let the ‘fantasie’ aspect really take hold. And honestly, that's what keeps me coming back to artworks like this – it asks you for interaction, rather than stating simple facts. Editor: I see the drawing in a completely new way, especially regarding the concept of memory, from now on. It will keep lingering for sure.