Die gestörte, aber glücklich wieder errungene Nachtruhe (Der Floh); 12 1862

Curator: This drawing, sketched around 1862, comes from the hand of Wilhelm Busch. He titles it rather wonderfully "Die gestörte, aber glücklich wieder errungene Nachtruhe (Der Floh); 12"—"The disturbed, but happily regained night’s rest (The Flea); 12." It’s currently housed in the Städel Museum. Editor: Well, "happily regained" seems to be stretching things a bit. The poor chap looks more like he's escaping a raging fire than enjoying a peaceful slumber. It is so interesting how caricature, can sometimes just reflect reality in such a potent, poignant, way. Curator: Busch, you know, had this incredible way of blending the everyday with the absurd. He taps into this middle class frustration in such an intimate and funny way. His caricatures of contemporary life can often carry a stinging sociopolitical commentary. I guess you could almost describe him as an angry idealist. Editor: An angry idealist, armed with a flea bite, perhaps? You’re right though; beyond the humor, you sense this deeper critique of societal expectations. That little, bedraggled figure—is he meant to be us? I mean look at how the composition frames his vulnerability within domestic confines. It’s both intimate and, unsettling, wouldn't you agree? Curator: Absolutely. There's also something beautifully simple about Busch's style. He just relies on loose strokes, he suggests, he implies... like the man's tiny porcelain pot! He manages to convey so much about emotional states and narrative using these deceptively simple means. Its deceptive, its deep and complex, wouldn't you say? Editor: I would! But more importantly, there is no barrier between that sketch and my appreciation of it! It seems to capture a universally awkward human truth about how external forces constantly invade, distract and, interrupt and ultimately define so many aspects of our supposedly unique identity! Flea as an metaphor for culture and the forces it brings to bare on the poor, individual, defenceless night sleeper perhaps... It is an invitation for empathy if ever I saw one! Curator: Perhaps, it even leaves me wondering, maybe the key to truly understanding society isn’t just through grand histories, but these very human moments. Editor: It may very well be a window, you're right, or maybe it just gives me the willies. Anyway it made me see society today, and my place in it, a little more clear, with all the itches!