Hamlet 

Curator: This collection of linocut prints is titled "Hamlet" by John Austen. Editor: My immediate reaction is a feeling of delicate melancholy. There's something very stylized and evocative about the figures. It reminds me of Aubrey Beardsley's work. Curator: It’s the Art Nouveau influence. Austen drew heavily from Beardsley. What intrigues me is how he condenses these powerful scenes into small, potent images, each a symbol of a larger theme. Editor: I'm struck by how each miniature vignette seems to capture a distinct facet of Hamlet's complex narrative—betrayal, madness, revenge. And I note that women appear, to me, central: the first panel is Ophelia. Can we talk about that choice of imagery? Curator: Absolutely, each composition resonates with its own symbolism. The rose, of course, traditionally signifies love, beauty, and secrecy. I think Austen focuses not just on character likeness, but on a figure representing complex emotion. It’s less literal and more…archetypal. Editor: Austen's choice to isolate the figures against stark backgrounds also heightens the sense of isolation and inner turmoil that plagues so many of the characters in "Hamlet." The absence of environment places the story squarely on their choices, not circumstance. Curator: It highlights the universality of the play’s themes. Stripped of historical specificity, the prints access the cultural memory of human relationships and conflict, relevant yesterday as today. Editor: And it serves as a powerful reminder of how these narratives continue to shape our understanding of human experience. Looking closer at how figures such as Ophelia are captured and considering which themes John Austen may have intentionally highlighted leaves me thinking deeply about women's roles in drama throughout history. Curator: It also emphasizes the tragedy and the characters’ powerlessness in escaping their fates. Thank you for sharing your interpretations; they certainly enrich my own appreciation of this wonderful portfolio of prints.