Die gestörte, aber glücklich wieder errungene Nachtruhe (Der Floh); 1 1862

Wilhelm Busch rendered "Die gestörte, aber glücklich wieder errungene Nachtruhe (Der Floh); 1" with graphite and watercolor. Note the composition: the sleeper is crammed into the center, a jumble of peach tones set against the stark white and pale blues of the setting. Busch uses line economically, yet it conveys a sense of discomfort through the hurried strokes of the shading above the figure, casting the subject in a sort of cage. This piece achieves its effect through destabilization. The title tells us the figure is 'glücklich', yet the visual language suggests otherwise, undermining any singular reading of the work. Busch's use of space and line makes it a site of ongoing interpretation, where humor meets discomfort, questioning the stability of emotions and experiences.