City gate with church 

Curator: Editor: Here we have "City gate with church," a drawing from the Städel Museum collection by Peter Becker. It seems to be rendered in pencil, and I’m struck by its fragile quality, almost as if the scene is fading from memory. How do you approach a work like this? Curator: For me, the appeal lies in examining its materiality. Consider the paper itself: what kind of fibers were used, and how does its age impact the image? Also, note the pencil – where was the graphite sourced, and who would have been able to afford such materials at the time this piece was created? Editor: That's interesting! I was focusing more on the architectural elements depicted. So you're saying to consider how access to certain materials affected who could even produce art? Curator: Precisely. Pencil drawings weren't mass produced as they are today. This suggests that the artist likely came from a privileged background, allowing them to dedicate time to art instead of manual labor. And what of the depicted subject? Was the construction of that gate a community project? Whose labour built it? Editor: So by investigating the process of making, and the socioeconomic implications of the depicted place, you gain insight into the world and its inhabitants when the artwork was created? Curator: Absolutely! It challenges traditional views on "high art." Instead of a romantic landscape, we see the embodiment of societal structures embedded in every line and material choice. The “fading” impression that you mentioned may as well hint at how societal structures are constantly subjected to change over time. What do you think? Editor: It reframes how I see art. Now I think I’ll be less quick to admire what is represented, and more curious to ask about how and why it was made. Thanks! Curator: Indeed. By questioning those seemingly insignificant aspects, we find new meaning.