Arabesques for the Goethe Room 

Bernhard Neher the Younger created "Arabesques for the Goethe Room" in the 19th century. The drawing serves as a preparatory sketch for a decorative program, reflecting the period's interest in classical themes and their integration into domestic spaces. The piece hints at the era’s complex relationship with antiquity. During this period, artists like Neher sought to revive classical forms, often filtering them through contemporary social ideals. This revival was not merely aesthetic; it reflected aspirations of order, reason, and a return to perceived cultural origins, mirroring a desire to establish cultural legitimacy amid rapid social change. The figures represented here, with their idealized forms, also speak to the construction of identities through art. The figures evoke a sense of timelessness, inviting viewers to consider how we project our values onto the past, and how these projections shape our present understanding of gender, class and cultural identity. In its quiet way, this drawing invites us to reflect on the relationship between art, identity, and history.