Sketch of the group of the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene to the painting ‘Entombment’ 1850

Editor: This pencil sketch from 1850 is a preparatory study by Józef Simmler, titled "Sketch of the group of the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene to the painting ‘Entombment’". It depicts two draped female figures embracing. There's a real sense of grief and intimacy here. What can you tell me about this work, placing it in its art-historical context? Curator: It’s interesting to see this within the broader context of Romanticism and the rise of nationalistic art movements. Simmler, as a Polish artist working under occupation, would have been very conscious of how his work was received. The pathos here, focusing on the Virgin and Mary Magdalene, certainly connects to religious painting of the period, but do you think there's a possible symbolic interpretation related to the Polish struggle? Editor: I hadn't considered a direct link to Polish nationalism, but now that you mention it, perhaps the women represent a mourning for Poland itself? Is this a common interpretation of Simmler's work? Curator: It is within his larger output. Think about how grief and suffering, particularly in female figures, were used throughout 19th-century art to evoke a sense of loss, but also of resilience. This intimate scene can transcend the strictly religious. Considering that “Entombment” has the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene grieving over Christ’s dead body, what meanings would this entail when understood in the broader cultural moment? Editor: So the universality of grief is being tapped into to elicit an emotional response beyond just the biblical scene. I hadn't considered the power dynamics at play for artists in occupied territories. Curator: Exactly. And it makes one reconsider how such historical circumstances shaped Simmler's artistic choices and the reception of his paintings and drawings like this. Editor: Thanks, that perspective on nationalism shaping Romanticism gives me a much deeper appreciation for what's happening in this sketch! Curator: Indeed, and hopefully helps us all recognize art's function in social and political spheres, then and now.