Image
Photographer
Tom Haartsen
Erlkönig
1990
45,9cm
x 35,4cm
paper
watercolour
Collection Fondation Constant, NL
The Elf King king is a ballad written by the German poet, Goethe, in 1782. Put to music by Schubert in 1815. It tells the sad tale of a father riding home with his son in his arms (presumably the boy is ill). The boy sees feverish images of the Elven king, imagery of death, who tries to lure him to the 'other side'. The boy frantically cries out to his father for help. The Elven king is relentless and threatens to take the boy by force. When the father reaches his destination the boy has passed away.
Constant also made an etch of the Erlkönig.
Details
English title
Elf King
Alternate titles
Le roi des aulnes
1994
Signed/dated
Signed, dated and titled Constant '90, "Erlkönig", bottom left in black pencil
Provenance
1990 Constant
2005 Collection Fondation Constant
Frame dimensions
69,3 x 58,9 x 2,8 cm
Exhibitions
Title | Year |
---|---|
Constant. Aquarellen | Watercolors 1975-1995 | 1995 |
Constant | Wasserfarben | 1991 |
CONSTANT, Aquarelle | 1991 |
Constant | Aquarellen 1990 | 1990 |
Bibliography
Title | Year |
---|---|
Constant, De late periode | 2008 |
Constant. Aquarellen | Watercolors | 1995 |