Original Design for the Poster 'sífilis 

Editor: This drawing by Ramón Casas is the original design for the poster 'sífili', done in pencil and pastel. It depicts a nude woman holding a flower, but what really grabs my attention is the snake draped around her. It creates a kind of tense but alluring feeling. How do you interpret this work, particularly its potential social commentary? Curator: I see it as a powerful, albeit subtle, commentary on the societal attitudes towards women and illness at the time. The nude figure, adorned with the snake—a symbol often associated with temptation, but also with healing—invites us to consider the era’s stigmatization of venereal diseases and the moral judgments projected onto women who contracted them. Editor: That’s fascinating! The snake as healing is a twist I hadn’t considered. So, is Casas suggesting that these women were unfairly demonized? Curator: Precisely. The flower she holds could represent both beauty and fragility, symbolizing the precarious position of these women within a patriarchal society that simultaneously fetishized and condemned them. What do you make of the work's Art Nouveau style? Does it amplify or detract from this commentary? Editor: That's a great question. Its decorative qualities soften the more direct message of symbolism; the visual beauty and graceful lines draw you in, perhaps prompting empathy, which can lead to reflection on social inequalities. Curator: Absolutely. Casas uses the aesthetics of Art Nouveau not just for beauty, but as a Trojan horse, smuggling in a poignant critique of the moral hypocrisy surrounding sexuality and disease. By subverting typical symbols, he challenges us to confront uncomfortable truths. Editor: This has definitely made me rethink my initial perception. The layers of meaning here are so much richer than I first imagined. Curator: It’s a piece that speaks volumes about the era, inviting us to continually question the narratives we inherit and how they shape our perceptions. I have certainly enjoyed discussing it with you.