Das schwebende Königspaar Oberon und Titania, begleitet von weiteren Elfen c. 1883

Editor: This watercolor and gouache drawing, "Das schwebende Königspaar Oberon und Titania, begleitet von weiteren Elfen," or "The Floating Royal Couple Oberon and Titania, Accompanied by Other Fairies," was created around 1883 by Leopold von Bode. It's currently housed at the Städel Museum. The work is so ethereal! What I find most intriguing is the dreamlike quality of it all; it feels less like a depiction and more like a wisp of a memory. What captures your attention most in this piece? Curator: Ah, a delightful question! For me, it's the quiet audacity of von Bode to bring the unseen world so vividly to life. It’s as if he dipped his brush into a moonbeam, wouldn’t you agree? This drawing whispers tales of Romanticism and Symbolism intertwined, echoing a yearning for worlds beyond our own. But tell me, does the composition evoke any particular feelings within you? Does it pull you into its fantastical realm, or keep you at arm's length? Editor: It definitely invites me in, but it’s also… strange. I mean, the perspective seems off somehow. Almost as if I’m looking at a stage play rather than a real scene. Curator: Exactly! It’s a tableau vivant, isn’t it? The artificiality, that deliberate staging, is the point! It enhances the sense of otherworldliness. Perhaps he wanted us to feel like voyeurs, catching a glimpse of a world we’re not meant to fully understand. Almost like seeing a dream reflected in a dewdrop. But how do you think his choice of watercolour and gouache informs this otherworldly vision? Editor: Well, the watercolor definitely adds to the light and airy feel, and I suppose the gouache helps to give it a little more depth where he wants to highlight certain figures. I've never considered fairy paintings with such symbolism, it offers a deeper appreciation. Curator: Wonderful! Isn't it fascinating how a change in perspective can transform our entire understanding of a piece? Art, at its finest, is simply seeing with new eyes, feeling with an open heart, and speaking the unspeakable. Editor: Definitely. I’ll never look at another fairy painting the same way again!