Morgen 1862

Editor: Here we have Adolph Kittendorff's "Morgen," created in 1862 using ink, and lithography—a printmaking technique! It gives off a simple, rural vibe. What's your take? Curator: Ah, yes, “Morgen,” or “Morning.” The scratchy ink lines have this gossamer quality, like early morning mist. What do you think is going on in the image, though? What tale does it whisper to you? It reminds me of my grandfather’s stories. Editor: It looks like a young farmhand, maybe reporting for duty and getting greeted by…is that the farmer’s daughter at the window? Curator: Perhaps! Or is she merely observing, a silent witness to the quiet rituals of the rural world? Kittendorff clearly frames her as the “muse” in this bucolic theatre, the one character adding spice to the labor. Think about Romanticism, though - the artist sees a drama even in these humble morning interactions, the beauty that springs forth in unlikely places. But is the feeling love or just longing, maybe something deeper. How can Kittendorff have us guessing a hundred years on. Editor: That makes me consider the fence, framing everything in, maybe like societal structures influencing the romantic element? Or a constraint to this… 'morning' mood that you spoke of. I would be likely reading a surface love story into the scene otherwise! Curator: See, isn't it delicious how one small ink drawing can open up such grand questions? Next time, we shall ask what exactly the servant can *see*. What an enchanting maze...