Standing ox to the left 

Curator: Let's turn our attention to "Standing ox to the left," a drawing currently held in the Städel Museum’s collection. The artist behind it is Friedrich Wilhelm Hirt, though we lack the exact date of its creation. What’s your first impression of this sketch? Editor: Mmm, calm. And patient, like the ox is waiting for something—or just contentedly chewing its cud, you know? The lines are quick but somehow soft, like you could almost feel the animal's breath. Curator: It's intriguing that you describe the lines as soft. This drawing prompts consideration of how realism intertwines with romantic notions of rural life. The portrayal of livestock isn't simply representational; it engages with contemporary social and economic narratives surrounding agrarian societies. Editor: You think so? I guess for me, the drawing bypasses all of that. I see something more primal, the animal as a presence. There is so much contained in the confident strokes – a kind of gentle monumentality, a beautiful bovine ode. It reminds me of visiting my grandpa's farm. Curator: The ox indeed possesses a certain grandeur, but let’s not overlook the artistic context of such depictions. Within art history, the image of livestock has been freighted with political and social symbolism – often reflecting on land ownership, labor, and class structures. Editor: Okay, I hear you. Art isn’t ever "just" about what’s on the surface, right? So the very act of representing a seemingly everyday animal, in a period of agricultural change, can be a statement, or even a question? But beyond all the theory, it also has this humble charm. Curator: Precisely. These drawings, while seemingly simple, open avenues to explore power dynamics in the countryside. In the social context of the time, artists play into various cultural notions associated with idealized farm life and the toil that underpinned it all. Editor: Fascinating! Even something that looks like a simple drawing can carry a heavy cultural load, huh? Makes you look at art with fresh eyes. Curator: Absolutely. It highlights the complexities inherent in seemingly simple representations. Editor: Well, I am walking away thinking a lot more about oxen now than I thought I would.