Uvejr ved bredden af en indsø 1896

Curator: This engraving, "Uvejr ved bredden af en indsø" or "Storm by the Lakeshore," was created by Thorvald Niss in 1896. It’s currently held in the collection of the SMK, the National Gallery of Denmark. Editor: Well, immediately, it strikes me as a potent image of natural power. The contrast between the almost violent rain and the subdued light creates a captivating scene, despite the monochromatic palette. Curator: Indeed. Niss masterfully manipulates the formal elements here. Notice how the density of the etched lines varies to suggest both the intensity of the downpour and the texture of the vegetation. The tilted trees almost mirror the angled lines of the rain itself. Editor: Those tilting trees are quite symbolic, aren’t they? They're suggestive of struggle, of enduring adversity. You can almost feel the wind howling, witness the ceaseless action of the ocean and weather. Curator: And the line work overall certainly gives that impression of constant movement. Niss avoids static depiction. See how the engraver’s burin moves to denote that everything—water, flora, and sky—is caught in the throes of tempestuous nature. It's a great example of the stylistic realism coming through in landscape depictions. Editor: The water too… It looks almost viscous, turbulent. Considering the cultural moment, one can even extend these images of tempests to that fin-de-siecle dread, the idea of looming chaos—it all makes its presence felt within the frame. Curator: The artist uses the materiality of the medium as an emotional lever, pushing past literal representation. But that fidelity to observed natural form is always perceptible and precise. Editor: It makes this an affecting Romantic image. One feels very much on the threshold of sublime terror while regarding this print, experiencing our vulnerability in relation to environmental elements. Curator: Examining Niss’ technique and structure offers an insight into the sheer artistic strategy required for producing this drama in print form. Editor: Contemplating its iconography, that enduring relationship between ourselves and an imposing natural world, offers just another interpretive lens into this fascinating print.