Skomvær landscape 1891

Editor: This is Theodor Kittelsen's 1891 ink drawing, "Skomvær Landscape". It has a somber feel, all these jagged peaks reflected in the water, sketched in stark black and white. It kind of reminds me of a geological Rorschach test. What do you make of it? Curator: A Rorschach test, yes! I feel that. There’s a raw, almost elemental energy captured in those lines, isn't there? You know, Kittelsen often imbued his landscapes with a touch of the fantastical. He saw more than just physical form. He saw trolls and folklore hiding within the Norwegian wilderness. Editor: So, it’s not *just* a landscape drawing? Curator: Oh, I think he is definitely drawing what’s there. But notice how the mountains almost claw at the sky, and those turbulent clouds mirror the jagged peaks. It’s not simply observation. There's a definite Romantic sensibility. It almost speaks to a sense of... isolation. Ever feel dwarfed by nature’s grandeur, even intimidated by it? Editor: Definitely! Especially living in a city. It is something I long for and am afraid of all at once. Curator: That feeling *is* this drawing, isn't it? The sublime reduced to just ink on paper. Imagine yourself standing before this view in the Lofoten Islands, as Kittelsen must have done. Editor: It definitely hits harder knowing what to look for now. The feeling, the loneliness... it’s all there. Curator: Indeed. And in the simplest of means: the beauty of suggestion, the emotional power of a well-placed line. It almost feels like a haiku, now that I think about it. Editor: I never thought I'd get so much from what looks like a quick sketch, but that’s amazing. Thanks for this perspective.