Café 1918

Editor: So, this is Walter Gramatté's "Café," painted in 1918, using oil paint. I find its perspective disorienting but it's strangely compelling, especially the figure in red. How do you interpret this work? Curator: The emotional intensity hits you first, doesn't it? Gramatté channels that raw Expressionist angst through flattened perspectives, creating a world askew. It’s like stepping into a psychological landscape, wouldn’t you say? Editor: Absolutely. The figures seem so isolated even though they're in the same room, possibly experiencing the same things. Curator: The symbolic resonance hinges on this sense of unease. Notice the hats, almost like distorted halos. Gramatté’s employment of colour evokes societal mood; the aggressive reds, clashing blues, creating a visual cacophony that mimics the tension brewing in Europe at the time. It speaks volumes about his environment and the emotional response from a man who suffered recurring psychological issues. Do you notice how even the tea set seems imbued with a certain… nervousness? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way, but yes! The uneven lines of the cup, and the tilted teapot mirror the figure's posture. It makes me wonder if the café becomes a symbol for society. Curator: Precisely! Think about the Expressionists’ anxieties about urban life, and how Gramatté renders those fears. In essence, the Café is not merely a location, but a cultural crucible where identities and ideologies collide. How has your perception changed? Editor: I came in with a superficial reading based only on appearances. Now, I realize that everything, even the simple tea set, serves as a coded reference. Curator: And that, is the power of symbolic analysis! It reminds us of the continuity between inner psychological states, symbolic traditions and societal transformations as revealed by "Café."