Akte mit Pferd (Original Title) 1917

Editor: This is "Akte mit Pferd," or "Nude with Horse," a 1917 ink drawing on paper by Hermann Stemmler, currently at the Städel Museum. The linework is so sparse, almost frantic. I'm immediately drawn to the figures—human and animal—but what I can't quite grasp is their relationship within this rather barren landscape. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a powerful commentary on the alienation of the individual within a rapidly modernizing world, particularly resonant during the upheaval of World War I, which was taking place at the time. Consider the fragmented landscape and the stark contrast between the vulnerability of the nude figures and the raw energy of the horse. Does the horse appear as a symbol of freedom or perhaps as an untamed force of nature? Editor: I initially saw the horse as something wild, but thinking about the historical context of World War I, it's hard to ignore that horses were also used extensively during the war. Is Stemmler perhaps showing how both humans and animals were impacted by war? Curator: Precisely! Think about the societal expectations and roles assigned during wartime, especially for men and the expectations surrounding masculinity and vulnerability. How do you think Stemmler plays with or challenges those notions in the way he portrays the nude figures? The figures seem exposed, yes, but is there also a strength in their shared presence with the animal, almost a communion outside the structures of a war-torn society? Editor: That's really interesting. I hadn't considered it as a space of communion or even resistance. I was so focused on the perceived emptiness of the landscape. It reframes my interpretation entirely. Thank you! Curator: And thank you. Art allows us this opportunity, doesn’t it? To constantly re-evaluate and find new connections.