Horses 1954

Editor: So this print, called "Horses," is a 1954 work by Jean Clerte. It's strikingly minimal, just outlines of horses. There's almost something Cubist about it. What’s your interpretation? Curator: It’s interesting that you mention Cubism. The lines, the way they almost dissect the forms of the horses, definitely resonates with that early 20th-century impulse to break down and reassemble reality. Consider the postwar context of 1954. What role might images of powerful animals like horses play? Editor: I hadn't really considered that aspect. Perhaps there's a connection to the rebuilding period after the war. Could these horses represent strength, vitality, a return to normalcy? Curator: Exactly! Think about the long history of the horse as a symbol of power, both economic and military. Clerte may have been subtly engaging with these connotations at a time when France, and Europe in general, was grappling with its identity and place in the world. Do you think the seemingly incomplete quality of the sketch adds to the artwork? Editor: Definitely! It adds a layer of vulnerability. Like the image of strength is fragile. It's just a sketch, the artist isn't claiming they are completely put back together again yet. Curator: Precisely. It challenges the traditional heroic image and suggests something more nuanced. It's important to note, too, that Clerte was working in a time when the accessibility and the value of the “sketch” was being redefined. Editor: It’s amazing how much context shifts the way you view a work like this. Curator: It truly does. And seeing how socio-political context changed this image over time is important for museums to portray properly. Editor: This conversation has totally changed how I perceive the role of symbolism within art as a mirror of historical happenings.