Nick Bottom als Pyramus mit Hut und Schwert, stehend, nach links c. 1867 - 1868

Paul Konewka sketched Nick Bottom as Pyramus with hat and sword in the 19th century. Konewka, living in a time of increasing German nationalism, looked to theater as a way of constructing and celebrating German identity through art. This drawing captures a character from Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," specifically the comedic role of Nick Bottom during his performance as Pyramus. While Shakespeare wrote the play, Konewka reinterprets this famous character through a German lens. In doing so, Konewka infuses the character of Nick Bottom/Pyramus with his own cultural and artistic identity. The sketch invites us to reflect on how identity is fluid, performed, and subject to interpretation across different historical and cultural contexts. It underscores the complex interplay between text, performance, and identity, challenging us to consider how we construct our sense of self.