The sisters 

Editor: So, here we have "The Sisters" by Hanns Ludwig Katz. It’s a drawing rendered with charcoal, chalk and pencil on paper and held at the Städel Museum. The figures are pretty roughly sketched, almost ghostly. There’s this sense of both closeness and detachment… How do you read this piece, particularly its historical context? Curator: This work exemplifies the expressionist movement’s exploration of psychological states through raw and somewhat jarring visual language. The ghostly quality that you pointed out reflects the broader societal anxieties of the time, particularly in post-war Germany. Katz, as a Jewish artist living through immense social upheaval and antisemitism, funnelled this anxiety into his art. Consider the role of art as a voice for marginalized groups – how does this piece reflect the struggles for identity and representation of Jewish communities in the early 20th century? Editor: That’s really insightful. I hadn't explicitly linked the fragility of the lines and the social turmoil. Is the Städel Museum's acquisition of this work itself a statement, considering the historical treatment of Expressionism? Curator: Absolutely. The institutional embrace of art that was once deemed "degenerate" – a term applied to much of Expressionism by the Nazi regime – is a crucial act of historical correction. Museums play a key role in shaping our understanding of art's value. By exhibiting and preserving works like "The Sisters", the Städel Museum acknowledges the importance of perspectives previously suppressed. Do you think this piece prompts viewers to think about marginalized experiences today? Editor: Definitely. Seeing this drawing, understanding the context, makes me think about how art can serve as a reminder of the past, and how it influences social discourse today. It also emphasizes the evolving responsibility of museums. Curator: Precisely. And hopefully encourages us to continually question the stories we tell through art.