Die Heilige Familie, Maria lehrt das Kind lesen 

Editor: This is "The Holy Family, Mary Teaches the Child to Read" by Simone Cantarini, a drawing done in ink on paper currently held at the Städel Museum. The hurried, almost frantic linework gives the piece a feeling of energy, but also a sense of incompleteness. What draws your eye in this composition? Curator: Immediately, it's the dynamism created by the strategic use of line. Notice how Cantarini varies the density and direction of the hatching to define form and volume. For instance, observe the areas around Mary’s face and robes—the controlled, parallel lines establish depth and a sense of her presence in the immediate foreground, whilst also contrasting with the more open, gestural marks of the figures above her. It guides the eye, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Definitely. The looseness in the sketch makes certain elements feel ethereal. How would you say Cantarini’s handling of materiality contributes to the narrative? Curator: The medium—ink on paper—is critical. Ink allows for a directness and immediacy of execution. The white of the paper is as important as the ink itself; it breathes space and light into the composition. What about the orientation grabs you? The almost sculptural quality, achieved solely through the contrast of light and shadow within this framework? Editor: I didn't notice the intentionality in the shadows before. Seeing the Virgin Mary portrayed in a moment of teaching, framed by the structure, is really captivating now. Curator: Indeed. We see a structuralist tension arising, too, when the vertical linear 'cage' emphasizes Mary's act of guidance. A connection is forged between the linear constraints and pedagogical process of learning to read. Editor: I’m seeing so many interesting choices now. Focusing on these structural elements highlights intentional choices that I may have missed at first glance. Curator: Precisely. There is a system, a structure at play if we are receptive and critical enough.