Psyche c. 19th century

Editor: We’re looking at "Psyche," a print, likely an etching or wood-engraving from the 19th century, by William B. Closson, at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. There’s something ethereal about it…a hazy dreaminess to the composition. How do you interpret this work based on what you see? Curator: Indeed, the rendering cultivates that effect. Consider first the use of line – observe the artist's masterful modulation. Note the density and directionality defining form and suggesting movement. The delicate network of hatched lines both constructs and deconstructs the figure, simultaneously present and dissolving. The use of monochromatic values— the scale ranges narrowly across grey—evokes depth and three-dimensionality, as much as an emotive ambiance. Editor: So the emphasis is more on how the lines are used to build an atmosphere, rather than any story it might be telling? Curator: Precisely. The visual vocabulary employed directs our attention inward, away from representational narrative toward the poetics of form itself. Do you notice any geometric underpinning for the arrangement of line and shape? Where does your eye travel, and why? Editor: It’s like a spiral almost, around her face and then outwards. I hadn't noticed that before! The face is certainly the darkest region, and most sharply in focus, drawing your gaze directly there, and her outstretched arm helps pull the focus along, doesn't it? Curator: A valuable insight! The spiraling motion is intrinsic to understanding the overall effect. It shows that the essence of the work resides in the aesthetic experience, not a literal one. Editor: I guess I was so caught up in the sort of Romantic feel that I missed that more structural element! Thanks for showing me that. Curator: The experience reveals how a closer look can illuminate the artist's technical skills.