When does the exhibition take place?

The event Word Worlds|Image Worlds: The Grand Inquisitor takes place on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 12 PM.

Where is the exhibition located?

The venue is Villa Rosenthal Jena at Mälzerstraße 11, 07745 Jena.

What is the admission fee?

Admission to the event is free.

What works will be shown?

The exhibition features Bettina Schünemann's 40-sheet series The Grand Inquisitor from 1990, inspired by Fyodor Dostoevsky's titular literary character.

What artistic techniques does Bettina Schünemann use?

The series combines paper, wallpaper, printed forms, and newspaper clippings with gouache and watercolor, wax crayons, and pencil.

Are there guided tours or an educational program?

No additional guided or educational programs are indicated for this specific date.

The Grand Inquisitor: When Dostoevsky's Freedom Becomes Terrifyingly Alive in Images

Name: Word Worlds|Image Worlds: "The Grand Inquisitor"
Start: 2026-10-13T12:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-10-13T12:00:00+02:00
Location: Villa Rosenthal Jena

Freedom or Authority? Bettina Schünemann's powerful visual interpretation of Dostoevsky

In the Villa Rosenthal Jena, literature and visual art come together in the exhibition Word Worlds|Image Worlds: The Grand Inquisitor. On display is Bettina Schünemann's series of 40 sheets from 1990, which translates Fyodor Dostoevsky's famous reflection on freedom, faith, and authority into a compelling visual form.

A literary conflict becomes an art experience

Dostoevsky's figure of the Grand Inquisitor embodies the paradoxical thought of a ruler who wishes to protect people from freedom because he doubts their ability for self-determination. Schünemann focuses her psychological study exclusively on the head of the authoritarian church and faith guardian. The gaze is thus directed immediately to expression, physiognomy, and inner tension.

Collage, paper, and painterly traces

The artist chose paper as her medium and combined wallpapers, printed forms, and newspaper papers into multilayered collages. Gouache and watercolor, wax crayons, and pencil enter into a tension-filled dialogue. Different materials create a tangible surface, while overlays, breaks, and graphic lines make the complexity of the depicted figure visible.

A series straddling literature and contemporary history

The exhibition unfolds its effect from the interplay of word worlds and image worlds. The series created in 1990 is one of Bettina Schünemann's early major works, combining literary source, political allegory, and expressive painting. The concentrated depiction of the head directs the viewing of the work towards power, doubt, and the psychological construction of authority.

Aesthetic experience with current resonance

The question of the relationship between freedom and authority remains highly relevant given the cultural and political climate in Germany and worldwide. In the exhibition atmosphere of Villa Rosenthal, a space for focused contemplation, cultural education, and personal reflection is created. The works invite viewers to consider the Grand Inquisitor not only as a literary figure but as a societal concept.

Conclusion: Art that calls for personal stance

Visitors can expect an intense encounter with a significant series of Bettina Schünemann's work, in which collage, drawing, and painting merge into a compelling psychological visual language. Anyone interested in Dostoevsky, contemporary art, political iconography, and the aesthetic experience of a multi-layered exhibition should definitely discover this art experience live at the Villa Rosenthal Jena.