Wütender Faselochse in einem Gebüsch 

Curator: I am immediately drawn to the nervous energy captured in this work. There's an almost primal tension vibrating from it. Editor: Indeed! What you're responding to is "Wütender Faselochse in einem Gebüsch", or "Angry Fasel Ox in a Bush," a charcoal drawing by Johann Ludwig von Pfeiff. Although we don’t have a firm date, we place it within the 18th century. Curator: A Fasel ox, eh? I find the directness of the title endearing—the artist saw an angry ox, stuck it in a bush, and called it a day. But on a deeper level, I'm curious, what is it about anger that has fascinated artists for centuries? Editor: Ah, the human fascination with anger! In this image, it's not just the ox's snort we perceive, but an echo of primordial rage—animalistic, uncontained. The bush itself becomes a cage, amplifying its fury. Visually, it can symbolize repression or even an uncontrollable impulse toward freedom. Think of the minotaur trapped in his labyrinth—a potent symbol for inner demons. Curator: So it’s more than just a disgruntled cow. The bush almost looks as if it's trying to swallow the animal up. All those frantic lines! Do you see that nervous cross-hatching, like someone scribbling in a frenzy? Editor: Exactly! That rapid cross-hatching—very typical of Baroque landscape—gives a sense of depth and intensity to the creature's claustrophobia. Look closer—the drawing captures a fleeting moment of emotional rawness, almost like a psychological snapshot of inner turmoil. The earthy tones further enhance this primal energy. The symbolism is pretty rich for what, at first glance, looks like a simple sketch. Curator: Simple? Never! This ox has soul. It looks cornered, as if it's about to burst from the confines of the paper itself! And aren’t we all, at times, like this ox— ready to charge at the slightest provocation? Editor: Well said. Pfeiff certainly knew how to imbue his subjects with emotional complexity, making us confront our own "inner ox". An astute and affecting depiction, whatever the intent.