Trimalchio’s funeral 1919

Editor: Here we have Lovis Corinth's "Trimalchio’s Funeral," a chaotic scene rendered in etching. It feels like a sardonic commentary. What’s your take on this piece? Curator: Considering Corinth’s era, this print can be viewed through the lens of social critique, questioning societal norms around death and mourning. Are we celebrating or mocking Trimalchio? The lack of clear lines blurs this distinction. Editor: So, the ambiguity itself becomes part of the statement? Curator: Exactly. It prompts us to question who benefits from spectacles of mourning and whose voices are silenced in these displays. Editor: I see it now; the print isn’t just a historical scene, but a challenge to power structures. Curator: Precisely! It seems Corinth intended for this piece to be provocative.