Death and girl in the forest 

Editor: This is "Death and girl in the forest" by Victor Müller. It's a pencil drawing on paper, currently held at the Städel Museum. I’m immediately struck by the contrast: the delicate lines used to depict this horrifying scene. What does this piece mean to you? Curator: This drawing plunges us into a symbolic landscape rife with themes of mortality and vulnerability, touching upon the intersection of gender and power. How might we read the girl’s frantic energy as a response to the veiled figure of death encroaching upon her space, her very being? Editor: I see her fear. Is the forest meant to be symbolic too, beyond just setting the scene? Curator: The forest, with its looming trees, certainly amplifies the claustrophobia and unease. Think of forests in folklore and fairy tales - spaces of the unknown, where societal rules dissolve, and where encounters with the supernatural, even death, become possible. Consider also the Romantic era, where nature was viewed as sublime yet terrifying. What kind of societal fears do you think this reflects? Editor: I suppose anxieties about women’s safety, or their perceived fragility, could be amplified in such a vulnerable setting. It is difficult to not interpret gender dynamics when facing Death who, stereotypically, often takes a male form. Curator: Exactly! And in confronting our own mortality, whose narratives get centered, and who gets left behind? Where do you see echoes of this dynamic today? Editor: Thinking about current events, maybe we see it in whose suffering is recognized and whose is ignored, particularly regarding race and gender in conflict zones. I've definitely gained a new way of thinking about art. Curator: Me too, it is always inspiring to engage in fresh perspectives! Art remains a mirror to society.