Skizzenbuch c. 1885 - 1889

Editor: So, this is "Skizzenbuch," or "Sketchbook," by Friedrich Metz, dating back to somewhere between 1885 and 1889. It’s a mixed-media drawing on paper, sitting here at the Städel Museum. Honestly, it looks really tactile; I just want to touch the cover. What am I missing? What secrets does this seemingly simple object hold? Curator: Secrets abound, I think. To me, it's like holding a captured moment, or better yet, a whole series of them! Look closely—do you notice how the texture of the paper itself seems to almost vibrate? It whispers stories even before a single line was drawn upon it, don't you think? Editor: I do see the texture now that you point it out. It gives it a sort of, I don’t know, humble quality? It feels more like something used, less like an art object, I guess? Curator: Precisely! Think of Metz, constantly observing the world, jotting down impressions, faces, landscapes, bits of clothing… Each page becomes a receptacle for fleeting observations, like a butterfly collection of the mind. And, knowing German Expressionism was brewing, doesn't it suggest a soul grappling with change, finding solace in the act of creation itself? It isn't just art, it is… sustenance. Editor: Wow. I was so focused on the material, I didn't think about the act of creating it! It really shifts the perspective to consider the artist behind it, and his context! Curator: And doesn't knowing the "how" make you want to uncover the "why" all the more? Editor: Absolutely! Thanks—I’ll never look at a sketchbook the same way again! Curator: My pleasure; now I want to go dig through my own sketchbooks…inspiration, right?