Witches' kitchen 

Hans Thoma created this ink drawing, "Witches' Kitchen," and it is now held at the Städel Museum. The drawing plunges us into a world of dense, cross-hatched lines that define form and shadow. The composition centers on a seated witch, stirring a cauldron over a fire. Thoma uses the materiality of ink to create a sense of depth. Notice how the hatching varies to suggest the folds of her dress, the texture of the flames, and the dense smoke above the cauldron. This technique also enhances the drawing's dynamic feel, where the flickering fire contrasts with the solid, grounded presence of the witch. The cross-hatching is not merely descriptive; it's a structural element that organizes the visual field. The evenness of the technique challenges a clear distinction between foreground and background, suggesting that the witch and her environment are part of the same dark, mysterious fabric. The even distribution of marks across the surface emphasizes the flatness of the picture plane, drawing attention to the materiality of the work.