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Video: The mystery of the two suitors in the painting "The Proposal" by Kulle
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
Swedish artist Axel Kulle created a magnificent work "The Proposal" in 1880. Art critics were able to consider two interesting interpretations of the plot. According to one of them, the picture is a plot with two suitors, one of whom decided to propose. The symbolism of this interpretation is interesting - an umbrella and a red scarf. What do they mean? And what is the meaning of the second interpretation of the plot?
About the artist
Axel Kulle was born on March 22, 1846 in Lund, Sweden. He was an artist and engraver. He studied at the Academy of Arts. In 1875 he went to Düsseldorf to study with the master of genre painting Ferdinand Fagerlin. In 1877 he completed the work “Church Council in Skåne”, which was acquired by the National Museum of Sweden. In 1880, Kull was awarded an academic scholarship, which he used to further study art in Paris. After 7 years, Kule was appointed a member of the Academy of Arts in 1887, and then a teacher.
Painting "Proposal"
The work was written by Kule in Dusseldorf in 1880. The alternative name under which the picture was exhibited is "Rivals". The composition of the picture is horizontal. The modest and clean decoration and interior of the house tell the viewer that a hardworking peasant family from Sweden lives here (the artist himself was born and raised in this country). Various textures are masterfully rendered: the shine of metal dishes, the roughness of wooden elements, folds on various fabrics of clothing, etc.
Heroes
So. The plot of the picture is hidden in the title. The main character is depicted in the foreground - he is the groom, who has come to propose marriage. The man is depicted as rather confused and timid, he anxiously fingering his black hat in his hand, not knowing where to put his gaze. The object of his lust sits at the table. This is a young girl who, strangely enough, is indifferent to the arrival of a guest. Based on her impassive expression on her face, we can conclude that she does not really need this dream proposal.
Here it is important to pay attention to the fact that she turned her back on a potential groom. The girl's body is turned towards another young man. He is most likely the man of her dreams. Another proof of their close relationship is a red scarf in a jacket pocket, possibly a gift from the heroine herself (a symbol of love between the two heroes).
Of course, the chances of winning the heart of a girl from a man at the table are much greater. Leather long boots, an expensive jacket, a confident face, a direct look at the competitor - all this tells the viewer about the high chances of success. But the main character is still very young. He lowered his head, because he was not sure about the feelings of his beloved. His wooden shoes are no match for the sumptuous boots of the man at the table. It is impossible not to notice the holes in his blue socks.
In addition to the love triangle, the painting also features the bride's mother and father. The mother is clearly the main woman in the house, this is evidenced by her serious, decisive face and "hands on hips". It is her word that will solve the sentence dilemma. How does she feel about grooms? The body and face turned towards the man at the table expresses her opinion. She is not happy with the arrival of the newly-minted groom. No one waited in this house for a young man with pure and good intentions and no one treated him to tea. Even the father, who is completely occupied with reading the book, does not pay attention to him. Although the viewer probably noticed that the knee-highs and shoes of the father and the groom are very similar.
The symbolism of the umbrella and its location are interesting. In art, an umbrella is often an attribute of power and greatness. And where did the artist portray him? Next to the hero at the table. It was to him that the young girl gave her heart. It was him who was chosen by the future mother-in-law. And it is he who will be the future husband for the heroine.
Second interpretation of the plot
It is interesting that the plot of Kule's painting has a different interpretation. Many researchers believe that the man at the table is not a rival or rival of the protagonist, but the girl's brother. According to this interpretation, the brother became the legal guardian of the girl after the death of their father. This transforms the emotional content of the picture.
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