Oberon, nackt und schwebend, nach links c. 1867 - 1868

This pencil drawing by Paul Konewka at the Städel Museum depicts Oberon, the king of the fairies, nude and floating. Oberon, a figure drawn from medieval folklore, is often associated with the power of the supernatural and the realm of dreams. This relates to the motif of the ‘puer aeternus’, the eternal child, symbolising perpetual youth and a connection to the primal forces of nature. We see echoes of this archetype in figures like Cupid or even Dionysus, each embodying a state of ecstatic freedom and instinctual wisdom. Over time, the image of the nude ethereal figure has evolved. Think of Botticelli’s Venus, born from the sea, or even the angels of Fra Angelico, forever suspended in divine space. Each representation speaks to a longing for transcendence, echoing in our collective memory and engaging our deepest desires for purity and liberation. It's a symbol of the cyclical nature of cultural expression, resurfacing through history, transformed yet familiar.