Leontes erblickt die Statue Hermiones c. 1868 - 1871

Curator: This sketch is titled “Leontes erblickt die Statue Hermiones,” or "Leontes Sees the Statue of Hermione" by Victor Müller, created around 1868-1871. It’s an ink drawing on paper housed right here at the Städel Museum. Editor: Wow, there's an intense dreaminess about it, like peering into half-remembered theater. The sparseness adds to that haunting feel. The rapid lines seem charged with emotion, a hesitant tension hanging in the air. Curator: Exactly. The hurried quality, that swift application of ink, captures the psychological turmoil of the scene from Shakespeare’s “The Winter's Tale.” Müller emphasizes the play’s themes of grief, redemption, and the blurring lines between art and reality. Note how the sketchy nature enhances that sense of unreality. Editor: And the layering of figures almost makes them ghosts; that central figure recoiling as if seeing an apparition really jumps out. Is it me or does that technique also create a strange sense of depth on a very flat plane? Curator: An astute observation. Müller employs a fascinating compositional strategy, arranging fragmented figural groups across the page. That serves to dissect the narrative, presenting multiple perspectives and temporalities simultaneously. Notice that repetition creates rhythm and reinforces the play's themes of time and memory. Editor: Memory definitely feels right. It's like he's channeling the feeling of a half-recalled story more than a concrete scene. Looking closer, I love the rough expressiveness of the faces… almost like quick caricatures. But with genuine emotion. Curator: The lack of precise detail is a crucial choice. It shifts our focus from meticulous representation to an evocation of inner states. We see not Hermione's objective likeness, but Leontes's subjective experience of her resurrection. Editor: It’s funny; even though just lines on paper, the artwork succeeds in communicating such raw humanity. Curator: Ultimately, this work serves as an incredible study in emotional expression achieved through minimal means. Müller's skill in suggesting so much with such elegant brevity is impressive. Editor: I'm left contemplating how much can be communicated through suggestion. An excellent reminder for any artist or storyteller!