Five swearing 1912

Curator: Here we have Ferdinand Hodler’s “Five Swearing,” created around 1912. Editor: What strikes me immediately is its raw, expressive energy. The loose lines, the figures all raising their hands—it’s visually arresting, conveying a strong sense of urgency, a sort of chaotic solemnity. Curator: Absolutely. The political context is vital here. Hodler, though Swiss, was deeply concerned with the escalating tensions in Europe leading up to World War I. His art increasingly reflected this pre-war anxiety and growing sense of social turmoil. "Five Swearing" seems a direct response to such concerns. Editor: I see that—it looks expressionistic in a way. You can feel his hand moving quickly on the paper to make those lines. Note how he uses only line; a few shades emerge only due to overlapping line weight—like how a draftsman marks perspective through volume and placement alone. Curator: Precisely, it echoes the artistic and political circles grappling with new modes of thinking about representation, about national identity. And note the deliberate lack of specific detail. It's not about individual identity; it is about collective action. The lack of individuation can make them be understood as symbolic representatives, as more people swear a vow than merely five. Editor: That works with my feeling about raw and the quick gestural method that Hodler utilized. So, it isn't portraiture—it is a political idea sketched out with very effective economy, just through basic composition. The bodies, the upraised arms--all so linear! Curator: It underscores Hodler’s awareness of the growing need for unity against what he, and many others, perceived as an impending catastrophe. His stance against encroaching military and political ideologies is really on display here. Editor: It's impressive how a few simple lines capture such a profound historical moment. The eye can't help but bounce across the lines until a final read--but only because Hodler placed these very clear gestures in very strategic ways. There is quite some care involved. Curator: It truly encapsulates an era teetering on the brink, as viewed through the lens of individual reaction and collective yearning for stability. It helps, for me at least, ground and comprehend art of this period, while so much was shifting beneath artists' feet. Editor: Indeed. This drawing—so economical, quick, and yet so suggestive of volume and shape in just some basic angles, shades, and gestures—definitely serves as a potent example of how potent visual language can be on its own.