Diether und die Köhlerfamilie im WaldeIllustration zu_ Heinrich Steinhausen, „Irmela. Eine Geschichte aus alter Zeit“, Prachtausgabe, Leipzig_ Georg Böhme, [1884], S. 19 c. 1884

Curator: Look at this drawing, dated around 1884, by Wilhelm Steinhausen. It’s titled “Diether and the Charcoal Burner Family in the Forest.” It's an illustration for Heinrich Steinhausen's "Irmela." The scene is rendered primarily in pencil, ink, and chalk. Editor: It's immediately evocative. There's a hush about it. Like stepping into a forgotten corner of a storybook. All the figures seem lost in their own private dramas beneath the shade of these densely drawn trees. Curator: That quiet intensity likely stems from the setting, but also the context within "Irmela." The charcoal burner’s family and Diether occupy this pivotal, sheltered space away from the wider world, representing simplicity. Editor: I'm interested in that monk figure on the left. He's slightly set apart. With a slightly darker outline, don’t you think? The gesture seems so pointed. Almost as if he has the next step figured out. A sharp contrast to the family grouped together on the right. He watches over them...or judges? Curator: He's definitely the odd one out. The darker outline could be to do with shadows in the forest, or indeed could reflect his role as an observer rather than participant, adding an element of narrative tension. He’s present to witness and perhaps guide events within this secluded family moment. The forest is, of course, a traditional symbol for something lost or forbidden…so is it sanctuary or exile? Editor: The family unit feels like its own little cosmos in this small-scale work. Look at the way the figures are connected—the gentle curve of the father’s arms holding the child, mirrored by the slightly stooped monk. Steinhausen has arranged this meeting as though these encounters were both inevitable, somehow. What strikes me as compelling is this feeling of stillness caught inside this web of light and shadows. There’s almost a sacredness here. Curator: It truly captures an intimate encounter steeped in symbolism, rendered with striking clarity using modest materials. Thank you. Editor: Yes, I couldn't agree more. It whispers secrets, really. Making one feel privy to something old.