De bruut Possibly 1926

Curator: Good day. I’d like to bring your attention to Hein von Essen’s "De Bruut", which might date to 1926. It’s a drawing, perhaps even a print of one, rendered in graphite and pencil. Editor: Oh, my! He looks rather peeved. Like a troll who’s just stubbed his toe. Or maybe caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror? Curator: A glimpse, perhaps, into the darker aspects of the self? Von Essen often employed caricature. He exaggerates the features. The brow furrows deeply, those bulging eyes seem ready to pop. And that underbite! All contributing to a palpable sense of inner turmoil. Editor: Exactly! I wonder, what is "De Bruut"? Is it a particular kind of brute or beast? The word "masker" is faintly visible at the lower section. The clenched fist suggests potential violence or repressed anger, a struggle against a hidden self. The deep shadows surrounding the figure make him look trapped in a sort of eternal discontent. Curator: I suspect that word alludes to a hidden, less savage self struggling to come through, or the opposite... a sophisticated being forced to wear a mask of barbarity to survive. The cultural memory of the bestial man echoes across epochs. He's present in primitive ritual masks designed to summon raw, untamed forces. In folklore. He could be seen in Goya's grotesque figures that revealed a savage truth, as well. Editor: It's intriguing how the artist's chosen media – graphite and pencil – add to this sense of unease. They lend a delicate fragility to such a fearsome visage, a stark contrast that speaks to our inherent duality. Maybe, at his core, he's a romantic longing to sing sad songs by the moonlight. It touches me that he uses such a simple tool to create such complexity. Curator: And the "rawness" is a great element too! The lack of any sort of finesse throws you right into this beast’s inner world – he's not pretty, but, there’s an arresting humanity in his ugliness. Editor: In the end, Von Essen compels us to recognize the shadow self lurking within our own skins. Perhaps it is through this brutal reflection that we may acknowledge and hopefully reconcile those darker aspects of humanity within each of us. It’s really humbling. Curator: Absolutely, it holds a distorted mirror to our human condition. Not comfortable, but vital!