Jüngling mit Harfe (Kachelentwurf) 

This is Hans Thoma’s “Jüngling mit Harfe (Kachelentwurf)”, or “Young Man with Harp (Tile Design)”. Thoma lived through a period of significant social change, witnessing the unification of Germany and the rise of industrialization. His artistic style often reflects a longing for an idealized, pre-industrial past. In this sketch, we see a nude young man with a harp, an image that evokes classical antiquity and perhaps the figure of Apollo, god of music and poetry. But Thoma gives us an androgynous figure, blurring traditional gender lines. We might ask, how does this resonate with shifting ideas about sexuality and identity during the late 19th and early 20th centuries? Thoma once said, "Art should ennoble man and give him courage." This tile design is a study in idealized beauty, but it also prompts us to reflect on how such ideals are constructed and who they include or exclude. It remains a poignant expression of both longing and hope.