Aunt Tonl c. 1795

Editor: This is "Aunt Tonl," a pencil drawing by Wilhelm von Kobell, from around 1795. It's a study, almost like a quick sketch of a woman sitting, head bowed. There’s a softness to it, a sense of gentle melancholy perhaps? What do you see in this piece? Curator: Melancholy is a perfect word for it, Editor! This isn’t just a study, it's a glimpse into a quiet moment. Think of Kobell, perhaps sitting across from his aunt, catching her in a moment of repose. It’s the end of the 18th century, and drawing like this - immediate, intimate – was becoming increasingly popular. Notice how he uses line, so economic, but also expressive. See the folds in her dress, how they suggest weight and form, or the delicacy of the bonnet's ribbon? He is looking for feeling, no? Editor: Yes, absolutely, especially the lines on her face seem very gentle. Was this just practice for him or perhaps the beginning of a painted portrait? Curator: It might have been a preliminary sketch, a way of capturing her likeness before embarking on a more formal painting. The intimacy suggests something more personal, maybe even a gift? A drawing like this, a fugitive moment recorded, becomes so valuable to us precisely because it lacks the grand statement. We see her not as an ideal, but as… well, as his Aunt. It’s very tender, wouldn’t you say? It almost feels like spying. Editor: It does have that feel to it, doesn't it! Like a stolen glance. I hadn't considered the tenderness of the sketch, only its sadness. I definitely look at it in a new light now. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! Thinking about those stolen glances can also prompt a new question: Why draw Aunt Tonl, anyway? The beauty is not just in the what, but in the why.