Bergfeste auf bewaldetem Gipfel 

Curator: Welcome. We are standing before an intriguing drawing here at the Städel Museum, a pencil on paper work entitled "Bergfeste auf bewaldetem Gipfel" by Peter Becker. It translates roughly to "Mountain Fortress on a Wooded Peak". Editor: My first impression is of a fragile dreamscape. The soft pencil lines create a sense of ethereal detachment, as if this mountain fortress exists more in the realm of imagination than reality. You can almost feel the tooth of the paper coming through. Curator: Indeed. Consider the architectural symbols— the towering spires, fortified walls, seemingly impenetrable from a distance. This reflects a deep, enduring human aspiration for security, stability, permanence. The mountain itself is an archetypal symbol of strength. Editor: Yet it’s all rendered so delicately! The labor behind creating a stronghold in reality would involve vastly different materials than humble pencil. I wonder what led Becker to choose this medium, it’s almost like rendering a monumental undertaking into something very temporary. Curator: Perhaps Becker wanted to hint at the fleeting nature of even the most formidable human creations. While the fortress embodies permanence, the soft, easily erased pencil speaks to impermanence. A castle in the sky… or at least a castle lightly sketched upon paper. Also note how nature is gently reclaiming the landscape at the edges. Editor: Right. Looking at the line work up close I notice areas where Becker applied variable pressure to achieve greater value, and the directionality of the lines follows the planes of the hill and architecture in a very specific manner. It clearly suggests not just the shape, but something about the way light and shadow create form. Curator: The symbol of light versus darkness—representing knowledge, safety—it contrasts nicely with nature which is always somewhat beyond our full understanding or control. Editor: Yes, a constant give and take with the wild! And by grounding a castle on a wooded peak through humble means— graphite applied with muscle memory and care— the drawing provides insight into a tension between construction, production, symbolism. I have such a clearer sense now for both! Curator: Me too, examining this piece offers, for me, a lens through which to view humanity’s perennial quest for a solid foundation, and the dream, always, of security. Editor: Exactly! A beautiful study in contrast that's very worth investigating closely, especially if one wishes to understand something about production, culture, and art-making!