In the Land of Weissnichtwo

Painting height: 91.4 cm
Painting width: 71.1 cm
Frame height: 120 cm
Frame width: 103 cm

The German word in the title means ‘I don’t know where.’ Watts originally planned to call this picture the Gemini or twins. The painting suggests the close relationship between the body and the soul or between the material and spiritual in human nature, with the soul as wiser, guiding partner. In a paradise landscape of spring flowers and autumn fruits, the dark haired twin is stuffing grapes into his mouth. The fair-haired, winged twin places an arm round his brother’s shoulder. A butterfly, emblem of the soul, perches on his other hand. [Label from unknown exhibition.]

        In two works created after the death of G.F. Watts Mary Watts provided short histories of this work.  In the catalogue of work she wrote she noted that G.F. Watts completed this work rapidly in 1894 on a rough textured canvas and using flowers from nature in the background [1]. When discussing this work in The Annals of Artist’s Life Mary Watts provides a first-hand account of the creation of this work. She stated:

Signer was also carrying forward a subject, then still unnamed, that we spoke of as the " Gemini" but to which he afterwards gave the title " In the Land of Weiss-nicht-wo" Much of the rich colour of the Surrey landscape went into this picture. The two little figures just hint at the natural and the spiritual in human nature. The dark-complexioned, darkhaired twin is stuffing grapes into his mouth, while the other, fair-haired and wide-eyed, holds out his little hand, upon which a butterfly has alighted — the emblem of the soul. My husband was interested in this human characteristic: " the double dwelling-house " of the ancient Egyptians, the two horses of Plato's charioteer, the first Adam and the Second — the carnal and the spiritual of the New Testament; and in the modern presentment of this same idea, when R. L. Stevenson's genius gave      it a new form, and conceived of the same man as having two separate visible existences [2].

Within this passage Mary provides an early title for this work and details the origin of the landscape, and emphasizes the meaning G.F. Watts sought to convey. Using these two figures as symbols Watts emphasized duality including natural and the spiritual. In order to convey this point Mary lists several types of duality including an allusion to R.L. Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Later critics of Watts also emphasized this theme. Focusing on a direct translation of the German in this title to “I don’t know where” Underwood argues this work represents the relationship between the body and the soul [3]. She argues that this work shows how Watts believed the soul led the body and marks an awareness by Watts of his own mortality [4]. Bryant contends that Watts originally intended these figures to be putti based upon original sketches [5]. Bryant agrees that this work represents the duality of human nature, but, contrasting with Underwood’s interpretation, Bryant sees these two figures are traveling companions who are making their way through life, but do not know where they are going [6]. These authors and Mary Watts all emphasize a Symbolist interpretation of this painting as they point out how the figures represent two different concepts contained within people.

Footnotes:

[1]    Mary Watts, Catalogue, page 76.

[2]    Mary Watts, The Annals of an Artist’s Life, Volume 2, page 220.

[3]   Hilary Underwood, “G.F. Watts Parables in Print,” page 8.

[4]   Hilary Underwood, “G.F. Watts Parables in Print,” page 8.

[5]   Barbara Bryant, “84. Studies for ‘In the Land of Weiss-nicht-wo,’” G F Watts Victorian Visionary (ed. Mark Bills and Barbara Bryant) page 284.

[6]   Barbara Bryant, “84. Studies for ‘In the Land of Weiss-nicht-wo,’” G F Watts Victorian Visionary (ed. Mark Bills and Barbara Bryant) page 284.

Text by Dr Ryan Nutting