Harpy 

Editor: So, this pencil drawing, “Harpy,” by Hans Thoma, at the Städel Museum. I’m struck by the texture achieved with just pencil on paper. What I’m curious about is, how do we go about interpreting something that looks, at first glance, so straightforward? Curator: Look closely at the materiality. The pencil, mass-produced, democratized drawing. Paper, initially rags, now wood pulp, symbols of knowledge, yet here used for a mythical, almost pre-industrial subject. How does the tension between the industrial materials and the romantic subject affect your perception? Editor: I guess it's not just a straightforward drawing, the materials suggest a kind of conflict? Curator: Precisely! The choice of such readily available materials—pencil and paper—to depict a mythical creature speaks volumes about accessibility and artistic intent. What might it say about Thoma’s relationship to high art and popular imagery? Does it challenge our expectations of where ‘art’ is found, or what constitutes art? Editor: That's fascinating. So, even in something that looks like a simple sketch, we can find these layers of meaning just by thinking about where the materials come from? Curator: Exactly! The “how” and “why” of the artwork’s making, the materials used, and the context of its creation, are just as crucial as the subject itself. Editor: I'll never look at a simple sketch the same way again! Thank you! Curator: My pleasure. It's all about seeing art not just as a representation, but as a product of its time and the choices of its maker.