Ornament des Nick Bottom als Pyramus mit Garnspule c. 1867 - 1868

This ink drawing of an ornament, depicting Nick Bottom as Pyramus with a spool of yarn, was created by Paul Konewka. Note the yarn unspooling—a symbol deeply rooted in human culture. Across time, thread has signified fate, destiny, and the interconnectedness of life. Consider Ariadne's thread in Greek mythology, which guided Theseus through the labyrinth. Here, the yarn, though whimsically arranged, echoes this ancient motif. It speaks to the entanglements of love and the labyrinthine paths of desire, which are central themes in the tragedy of Pyramus and Thisbe, as performed by Bottom in "A Midsummer Night's Dream." The unspooling thread reminds us of life's fragility and the often chaotic unraveling of human plans. This visual echoes the eternal recurrence of human drama—love, loss, and the comedy of errors—playing out across history.