Prøveplade: Profil af en ung kvinde med spids hue 1899

Curator: Looking at this intriguing print, the artist, Frans Schwartz, presents a delicate portrayal from 1899 titled, "Prøveplade: Profil af en ung kvinde med spids hue," housed here at the SMK. He employed etching techniques in intaglio to produce this drawing-like print. Editor: There's a striking delicacy in the cross-hatching—it's almost like gossamer threads creating the form. The limited tonal range imparts a contemplative, almost melancholy air to the young woman's profile. Curator: Indeed. Notice how the headdress becomes a focal point? It seems to me that this isn't just about surface appearance, but suggests a culturally significant marker – perhaps indicative of status, regional identity, or even a particular guild affiliation. Editor: Perhaps. But the hat itself is only rendered with the most fleeting detail. For me, the real magic is in how Schwartz coaxes volume out of a seemingly simple network of lines. The strategic layering gives the face depth that defies the medium’s inherent flatness. Semiotically, the lines speak to form but also its fragility. Curator: True, the form feels ephemeral, captured as a fleeting impression. There's a quiet tension between what's revealed and what remains obscured within the shadows— perhaps echoing the transition between girlhood and womanhood. That would connect to collective dreams and fears surrounding young women in the era it was made, the very turn of the century. Editor: The very precise observation evident in her profile gives us an amazing study in contrasts—strong definite lines describe her nose and chin, juxtaposed with those delicate lines, that convey the roundness of her cheek and the gentleness of her gaze. This combination really animates the image, bringing it to life. Curator: Looking at it with fresh eyes after our conversation, I find a dialogue emerging—between technique and cultural signal, between artist and model, and between us, the observers and the symbols encoded in its construction. Editor: Agreed. And the piece itself, now feels imbued with added layers of meaning that only a considered, shared viewing can elicit.