Analysis of Dancing Fairies by August Malmström PDF

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Dancing Fairies by August Malmström is a 101 in × 89 in piece painted using oils on canvas in 1866. It was completed in Sweden and was an independent study by Malmström aiming to create a surrealistic, romantic landscape inspired by Nordic fantasy. Malmström was fascinated by Swedish folklore, often incorporating fairy-tale themes and subjects into his works. Dancing Fairies was presented at the major Scandinavian exhibition in the Stockholm Academy the year before Malmström was appointed professor. As of today, the painting resides in the National Museum of Fine Arts in Stockholm, Sweden. The scene is a landscape set in a dark, misty, nighttime marsh. Leafy, drooping trees occupy the area, appearing as silhouettes against the clear sky at the top half the frame. The sky fades from dark blue to soft orange at the horizon, and a bright, full moon hangs just over the ground, gently lighting the area. A small river runs between the land, looping from the left side of the frame to where it disappears in the bottom right. It runs slow, having a glass-like surface. A carousel of white wisps circles the scene around a single tree, their forms dipping and diving over the landscape. They are female forms, floating in a clockwise direction with hands joined. Some have long, blonde hair flowing behind them, and some have neat hairstyles pinned back or braided. They are all dressed in loose, white robes, barely distinct against their pale skin. They are prominent in the landscape, but do not overpower it, rather engaging with it just enough to establish a strong presence. Some of the fairies chat to one another as they float around, and one dips down close to the river. She observes her reflection, and her face is seen mirrored on the water’s surface. The fairy directly in front of her is gazing at the audience with a neutral yet knowing expression. The mood of the painting is mystical, invoking the feeling of witnessing something one should not be. It reads as a secret, one that is not expertly or directly

shielded but still not totally open—anyone could have walked in on this dance, but there will be consequences. In folklore, fairies are mischievous and short-tempered beings that people were warned to watch out for. According to Swedish legends, fae and elves gather at burial mounds, mountains, and forests, often dancing. They constantly mess with the fate of humans, signifying things such as abduction, immorality, and death. Lighter interpretations link them to magic, springtime, and love, but even romanticized symbolism includes sexual depravity. The appearance of the fairies in the piece can be viewed in two ways; either they represent the movement of morning mist, or they are the morning mist. If the mist as at the center of the painting’s meaning, then the piece could be referred to as a romantic landscape due to the use of magical beings as a metaphor for the settling fog. If the dancing fairies are the key motif, then the piece becomes a depiction of a fantasy world. The ring dance of the fairies could also be interpreted as a sort of ritual, the notion supported by the inclusion of a full moon which represents the height of power as well as completion and clarity. Since the moon is so low on the horizon, the time the piece is set at could either be just after dusk or just before dawn. Dawn is a positive symbol, suggesting the beginning of a new day and thus a chance for improvement, illumination, and hope. It represents awakening and resurrection. If the piece were set at dusk, though, it could symbolize ending, change, and transformation, as well as time to finish the day’s work and take a break. In this sense, the fairies’ dance could be interpreted as a celebration of a new, hopeful day, or a party to relax and wind down. A sign that the painting has more troublesome context is that marshes tend to symbolize uncertainty and danger, often foreshadowing of negative consequences. This complements the usual nature of fairies.

The original painting was made with saturated shades of blue and yellow, but over time the landscape dulled to a hazy brown. Some of the contrast between the dark trees and lightening sky was lost, but now the piece holds more consistency. As the silvery blue details of the fairies faded, their appearance become even more wispy and mysterious. There is no definitive linework in the piece, but compositional linework points towards the lake and leads up to the moon. The focal point is the fairy that is dipping down to the water, as she is the figure closest to the foreground. The movement of their circle also forms a slight inverted triangle, leading the eye towards the bottom middle of the frame. Trees and shrubs diminish as they recede into the background, and one of the trees overlaps the fairies to show their disappearance behind it. The negative space of the sky balances out the busy bottom half, giving the eye some breathing room and asymmetrically balancing the piece. There is one natural source of light, the full moon, but the fairies are drawn as if they produce their own illumination. Strong contrasts of values against the dark marsh make the figures and the moon stand out. In the distance, long, empty plains are drawn with atmospheric perspective, painted duller to emphasize how far out they are. The texture most evident is that of dewy grass in the foreground on the bottom left. The stalks are thin and soft, dripping with early-morning mist or stray droplets from the river. Overall, Dancing Fairies is a stunning painting evoking immense intrigue both in its interpretation and visual appeal. Its subject matter is rich in symbolism, offering both romantic and surrealistic lens to view it from. The aged and restored pieces vary slightly in their tone due to the colour and contrast, but they are both intricate and mesmerizing....