Selbstbildnis des Künstlers zwischen Chronos und Pallas Athene, für eine Wachsbossierung, heute im Museum August Kestner in Hannover 

Curator: Looking at this drawing by Daniel Neuberger the Younger, titled "Self-Portrait of the Artist Between Chronos and Pallas Athena," currently residing in the Städel Museum collection, my immediate reaction is one of dynamic tension. The composition feels quite active, with each figure seemingly caught in their own separate sphere of influence, but somehow working together within the picture plane. Editor: The red chalk lends an antique, almost blood-like quality, don’t you think? It enhances the weightiness of the figures and their allegorical nature. Old Father Time is holding a skull, after all. It seems ripe with mortality symbolism. Curator: Precisely! Observe how Neuberger renders each figure: Chronos, with his weathered features and somber pose, embodying the inevitable passage of time. Athena, on the other hand, possesses this serene countenance, representing wisdom. Then, positioned between them is the artist himself. Note the medium: red chalk on paper. The linear precision in the baroque drawing emphasizes contours. Editor: The central image of the artist is the crux. Time is quite literally running through his hands in the form of an hourglass and a skull; he will not always be here. I read Pallas Athena as inspiration, hovering over his shoulder. She guides his work, suggesting that art-making is a route to immortality. This creates an emotional axis with these three characters: decay on one side and creative energy on the other, placing him on a visual and emotional fulcrum. Curator: Yes, and that placement is significant. He situates himself, the artist, at the intersection of temporal existence and enduring artistic achievement. The carefully considered composition places him quite intentionally. Editor: Right, it begs the question, what does he choose to do with his time? Neuberger creates an interesting parallel by using these loaded archetypes: is he an everyman grappling with time or is it specifically a question for the artist's legacy? He looks to Pallas Athena, so the answer is quite literally staring back at him from this allegorical portrait. The act of creation defies time itself. Curator: What resonates with me most is the way the drawing showcases Neuberger's technical skill and conveys a nuanced conceptual message using clear compositional techniques. The artwork’s strength resides in how form enhances its message. Editor: Agreed. Beyond Neuberger's clear command of his medium, the power for me is rooted in that eternally compelling narrative: mortality versus lasting creation. It is a simple tale, but still resonates across cultures and across centuries.