Tierkreis mit Jupiter und Merkur, vor denen ein Fürst sitzt, rechts unten Phoebus auf dem Sonnenwagen, links oben der Gott der Zeit 

Editor: This drawing, called "Tierkreis mit Jupiter und Merkur, vor denen ein Fürst sitzt, rechts unten Phoebus auf dem Sonnenwagen, links oben der Gott der Zeit" is an ink drawing by Daniel Gran and currently residing in the Städel Museum. The flurry of figures gives it this chaotic, almost feverish feel. It feels like I’m looking at the blueprint of a dream, a really elaborate dream. What’s your take on this baroque piece? Curator: A dream blueprint, I like that. It does have that ephemeral, half-remembered quality, doesn't it? It speaks of power and divine order, wrapped in allegory. I wonder what it would feel like to encounter the original commission. See, Daniel Gran was amazing, even if, as we all do, his works sometimes felt like works in progress... Have you considered that maybe, the hurried and unfinished aspect almost strengthens the narrative? Editor: That’s a good point, it definitely adds to that dreamlike quality. What do you mean by “divine order?" Is that why all the gods are represented? Curator: Partly, but consider the period, too. Baroque loved grandeur and the display of authority, both secular and divine. The inclusion of the zodiac (Tierkreis) places earthly rulers within a cosmic framework, legitimizing power. So we have gods but, at the center of it all, a royal commissioning body… Now I want to ask: do you feel Gran truly captures what the assignment aimed at when presenting their wishes or requirements for a "work-in-progress", or it the opposite? Did Gran only aim to fulfil some mundane and trivial demands with a half-baked effort? Editor: It's amazing how much historical context informs how we see a work. The artist is probably playing with or reinforcing established hierarchies with the different subjects, rather than just painting an aesthetically pleasant scene. So it feels like both - I believe it is not entirely mundane as the use of metaphoric context elevates this piece's narrative above "trivial". It is grand enough and elaborate, maybe even extravagant for its period in time. Curator: Precisely! And seeing that duality helps us avoid trapping the work in a simple narrative. Next time you are daydreaming remember Gran and don't only focus on your world, incorporate what existed at the time so, not only it becomes yours, but historical as well.