Hahnenschlag in der Umgebung von Frankfurt 

Curator: Immediately striking is the provisional nature of the line, so ephemeral. Editor: Indeed. We are looking at "Hahnenschlag in der Umgebung von Frankfurt," a pencil drawing by Anton Radl held here at the Städel Museum. It appears to capture a genre scene. Curator: I see figures engaging in some sort of game. Note the rough hatching employed to denote the textures of clothing, and the building beyond, rendered swiftly to give us an understanding of the setting and the community. The drawing medium here signals this piece's purpose: most likely, this was intended as a study, not a final presentation piece. I wonder about Radl’s involvement in Frankfurt and how this locale might be relevant. Editor: "Hahnenschlag," roughly translated, refers to a "cock-hitting" or "rooster-hitting" game. While viewed now as cruel, in certain regions during Radl’s time, these public displays were perceived differently within folk tradition, social status, and historical events. One should consider its place among other folk images of the period. These portrayals both reflected and shaped public perception, subtly commenting on social dynamics, which sometimes involved acts deemed violent now. Curator: Note too that even in sketch form, the implied compositional triangle gives a sense of visual order. It’s clever how Radl uses the rough marks, the qualities of the graphite itself, to imply three-dimensionality, which adds more than merely linear definition; rather, they represent visual space. Editor: These depictions acted as vital tools of cultural representation. In our understanding of Hahnenschlag as art objects and their historical and societal impact, they shape how audiences perceived such traditions in those days. Curator: The means by which this tradition, Hahnenschlag, is captured is also telling, with quick lines on relatively inexpensive paper, this sketch suggests immediacy in the context of labor and the making of images. It provides critical visual insight, reflecting how Radl and the society in general negotiated culture. Editor: It shows, therefore, the way cultural practices were adopted, reimagined, and at times also, maybe critiqued via depictions in popular drawings like these. Curator: A very telling piece, when considering medium, the processes for art making, and labor. Editor: Certainly something to ponder when looking at Radl's snapshot of historical spectacle and its modern context.