To udkast til Jakobs kamp mod englen 1919

Editor: This pen and ink drawing, "Two Studies for Jacob Wrestling with the Angel" by Joakim Skovgaard from 1919, it's... striking. These figures locked in combat – what's interesting is the visible struggle. What's your take on how its cultural context influences its reading? Curator: The interesting thing about Skovgaard, here, is to consider how this deeply religious scene gets reworked at this time, early 20th century. There is certainly still faith in divine narratives, but they are clearly put into question. So you see the raw, even crude, artistic language to highlight a raw spiritual experience. This image allows the wrestling match between man and angel to come to a close and re-imagine faith to be a constant struggle. Do you agree? Editor: Absolutely. There's a tension, though. The almost childlike simplicity of the linework creates a sense of accessibility that pulls you into what you would otherwise imagine as a rarefied plane of existance, some spiritual encounter. Curator: That pull you mention may, at least in part, speak to its potential reception. While the art world was busy patting itself on the back for its innovations and challenges to the old order, there was also a general turn to some semblance of traditional stability amongst some portion of the populace in a time of radical social changes and rapid technological change. Does knowing that affect your sense of the piece? Editor: I suppose so. To think this artwork speaks to both innovation and more grounded sensibilities... I learned so much today. Curator: Agreed! It shows us the multifaceted approach to meaning-making when grappling with tradition and change. Thank you.