Study for A Glance into the Infinite c. 1915

Curator: Well, this Ferdinand Hodler graphite drawing, called "Study for A Glance into the Infinite" from around 1915 and now residing here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art…it’s quite striking, isn’t it? It gives me such a sense of space. Editor: It's evocative. Immediately, I’m struck by the rhythmic repetition and how the linear quality creates movement, almost like figures in a procession or dance. The women’s upward gazes reinforce this sense of reaching for something beyond. Curator: Exactly, Hodler was heavily influenced by symbolism and developed a concept he called "Parallelism." You see it here, don't you? How he repeated forms to express harmony and unity reflecting his anxieties amid WWI? He used it almost as a tool of national identity and collective experience. Editor: Yes, and how striking he captures emotion simply through gesture and pose. The delicate graphite lines describe form, but they also delineate psychological space. Each figure projects introspection. The variations among them despite the similarities create depth, perhaps of experience or time. Curator: Absolutely, during this period, the changing social and political dynamics had created a space where Hodler, amongst others, reflected on mortality, especially relevant as Switzerland remained neutral in WWI while other European nations engaged in a deadly conflict. I wonder how Hodler perceived women's role during these challenging times. Editor: Perhaps it is the artist inviting us to consider something both personal and universal. The ethereal forms encourage me to investigate not only its aesthetic, but also the spiritual connection Hodler invokes using relatively simple composition and media. Curator: Seeing "Study for A Glance into the Infinite" with you always enriches my view. Highlighting the socio-political impact in 1915 and interpreting Hodler's possible commentary. Fascinating indeed. Editor: And for me, seeing it through your eyes offers an even more profound emotional reading of Hodler’s formalism, especially with your pointing out of a reflection of turmoil into hope, from each ascending figure. I am reminded that infinite interpretation of the infinite may be all there ever is.