Männlicher Akt des Romeo aus _Romeo und Julia_, Variante mit angewinkelt aufgestütztem rechten Bein, daneben Draperie, Hände und ein Fuß c. 1869 - 1871

Editor: Here we have Victor Müller's "Male Nude of Romeo from _Romeo and Juliet_, variant with angled, propped-up right leg, next to it drapery, hands and a foot," a pencil and charcoal drawing from around 1869-1871. The sketch-like quality gives it such an intimate feel, as if we're catching a glimpse of the artist's process. What do you make of this, our Romeo caught in such a pose? Curator: Ah, yes, a peek behind the curtain, isn't it? I think the incompleteness, the way Müller renders the figure with such assured lines, yet leaves the drapery and extra limbs as ghostly suggestions, speaks volumes about the artistic process itself. It feels raw, vulnerable, even. Do you get the sense that he’s searching for the perfect form? The ideal Romeo? Editor: Absolutely. It's like seeing the layers of thought, the corrections and alternatives an artist explores. It really highlights how much is discarded in the pursuit of the final image. But, why focus on Romeo? Was Müller interested in theater? Curator: That's the golden question, isn't it? We know that Müller was deeply immersed in literary themes. Depicting Romeo offered him a way to explore ideas of idealized beauty, youth, passion. Think about it: Romeo is perpetually young, eternally romantic in our collective imagination. Müller seems to capture this suspended moment of potential and drama. Editor: So, the drawing is not just about anatomy but about embodying an ideal, almost a mood, more so than illustrating a specific scene. The body almost becomes secondary, I notice the feeling I get first. I didn't expect that. Curator: Precisely! It is mood; and it leaves a deep lasting impression of how complex that creative and thinking journey must have been for Victor Muller.