Fantasy 1895

Editor: Here we have Magnus Enckell’s "Fantasy," created around 1895. The figures amidst the swans give it a classical, almost dreamlike quality. What symbolic readings come to mind when you view it? Curator: The swans are interesting here, aren't they? Swans are frequently associated with grace and beauty but, perhaps more significantly, with transformation and the soul's journey. Enckell uses both white and black swans, an intentional juxtaposition, don't you think? Editor: I hadn’t considered that specific contrast. What does it signify to you? Curator: Black and white often represent opposing forces. The balance, or imbalance, between conscious and unconscious elements of the self perhaps, especially when paired with that lone, lute-bearing figure. Is he a poet or a representation of some melancholic myth, surrounded by the duality of beauty and the unknown? Editor: That makes me think about the influence of Symbolism on artists like Enckell – they really sought to express inner emotional states through visual symbols, didn't they? Curator: Precisely! And the lyre enhances that connection. The lyre sings of a bridge between the terrestrial and celestial realms. Here it hints at the soul yearning, trying to find harmony amongst these duelling internal forces and the external world of shadows. Is this work, titled "Fantasy," merely fantasy, or is it perhaps also a portrait of the artist's soul? Editor: Seeing it that way, it resonates much deeper. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure. Every symbol holds a universe when we know how to listen.