Titania, unbekleidet, mit hochgestecktem Haar und begleitet von einem Elfenkind, schwebend, nach links c. 1867 - 1868

Editor: We're looking at "Titania, Unbekleidet, mit hochgestecktem Haar und begleitet von einem Elfenkind, schwebend, nach links," a pencil drawing made around 1867-1868 by Paul Konewka. It's housed at the Städel Museum. What strikes me most is its dreamlike quality. It feels like glimpsing a fleeting moment in a fairytale. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Ah, yes, that dreamlike quality is what drew me to it, too! Konewka’s almost wispy lines capture a certain ephemeral beauty, don’t you think? Imagine him, caught up in the romance of his time. It's interesting, though, how he strips down Titania, quite literally, isn't it? What do we make of her vulnerability versus the playfulness of the elf? Editor: It does make you wonder about the intention. Is it about exposing the raw, natural beauty of the fairy queen, or something more... vulnerable, perhaps? Curator: Precisely! Konewka positions us, the viewers, in a complex place. It’s a Romantic take, but one laced with the male gaze. Is he celebrating her otherworldliness, or subtly possessing it? Maybe both, in a messy, very human way? What do you think? Editor: I hadn't considered the "possessing" angle so directly, but I think I understand the ambivalence you point out. I find it helpful in understanding art when somebody sheds light on that human component to consider. Curator: Art is a mirror, reflecting both the beauty and the complexities within us and within the artist’s time. It’s this very tension that makes it so endlessly fascinating. Editor: Exactly! Thanks for bringing it all together. Now I want to research and know so much more!