The assault c. 1884

Wilhelm Steinhausen created this drawing called 'The Assault', now at the Städel Museum, using graphite on paper. The left-hand side of the drawing teems with figures amidst a conflict scene, set against a backdrop of looming medieval structures. Steinhausen masterfully uses chiaroscuro, the contrast between light and dark, to intensify the drama. Look at how the shadowed figures emerge from a darkened landscape under the glow of torches and moonlight, creating a visually arresting scene. The composition is divided starkly; the turmoil on the left is emphasized by the blank space to the right. This division invites us to consider the nature of representation and absence. The unfigured space becomes a void, a silence that amplifies the clamor and violence depicted. It's in this dialectic between what is shown and what is withheld that Steinhausen challenges us. He destabilizes the traditional narrative structure by creating an environment where the untold becomes as significant as the told. The unfigured ground becomes a powerful void, urging us to complete the narrative ourselves.