14 Figurenstudien in Einzelfiguren und Gruppen, dazu Hunde 

Curator: Look at this fascinating sheet of studies. Attributed to Johann Ludwig Ernst Morgenstern, this pencil drawing on paper, held in the Städel Museum, is titled "14 Figurenstudien in Einzelfiguren und Gruppen, dazu Hunde," which translates to "14 Figure Studies in Single Figures and Groups, with Dogs." Editor: What a bustling page! A whole world captured in pencil. I am seeing so many little dramas unfold… conversations, interactions. It feels both spontaneous and meticulously observed. Curator: Exactly! It gives the impression of a keen observer rapidly capturing snippets of everyday life. Note the attention to costume – the detailed rendering of fabrics and hats speaks volumes. It transports you back to the 18th century. Editor: For me, it's about the making, isn’t it? The pencil itself, the way the artist lays down line after line, creating density, atmosphere… The repetition of figures in various poses almost speaks to early industrial methods, a prototype perhaps. Curator: A protoype, really? Perhaps, but also perhaps this artist was using this medium to rapidly generate visual data for paintings. Think of the genre paintings coming into vogue. Editor: That’s valid – and you also have these delightful little vignettes – groups chatting, people walking with dogs… They offer such intriguing glimpses into daily life of the time. They could almost be characters in a play. But to think of all the lead mined and pencils produced! It is no different from us today making and sketching, though the implements have changed. Curator: Agreed. What I love is the unpolished quality. This isn’t a finished painting, it is pure study and the artist is revealing the initial observations to the viewer. You're getting so close to their eye; you're sharing the germination of an idea. Editor: Precisely. We often ignore all that pre-production material. Look at that dog though… charming little material creature born from graphite. Ultimately, this sketch isn’t just a glimpse into the artist's creative process, it’s a glimpse into their world, rendered through very specific material processes and production! Curator: I concur entirely; thanks to our different points of view, hopefully our listeners do, too.