Illustration til "Uden hoved og hale" 1855 - 1935

This is Carl Poulsen's illustration for "Uden hoved og hale", a monochromatic print that masterfully uses stark contrasts to evoke a sense of gothic unease. The composition is structured around a precarious bridge, above a chaotic scene of figures that seem to emerge from nightmares. The artist employs etching to create fine lines and textures, building a world filled with unsettling details. Look closely at the dramatic interplay between light and shadow, a visual binary that guides our eyes and charges the scene with heightened emotionality. Poulsen’s technical choices, like the dynamic perspective and chiaroscuro, amplify the themes of the grotesque and the uncanny. Note how the architectural backdrop merges with the figures, blurring boundaries between reality and phantasm. This destabilization reflects broader symbolist concerns, questioning stable meanings and venturing into the subconscious. Finally, observe how the deliberate arrangement of motifs invites us to confront the unsettling. The artist challenges our perceptions, transforming the viewing experience into an exercise in psychological interpretation.