Liegende Ziege, sich putzend 

Editor: Here we have "Liegende Ziege, sich putzend," which translates to "Lying Goat, Cleaning Itself" by Friedrich Wilhelm Hirt. It's rendered in ink and graphite and resides here at the Städel Museum. It's a very simple composition; the texture really captures my attention. How should we read this work? Curator: Well, considering the means of production—the simple act of sketching a mundane subject like a goat cleaning itself using accessible materials like ink and graphite—it suggests a focus on the everyday labor of both the animal and the artist. It almost seems a democratizing process, blurring the lines between high art and craft. Editor: Democratizing, that's interesting. I hadn’t considered the artistic labor aspect so directly. Curator: Look closely at the marks; they're not just depicting form. They're also a record of the artist's hand, his movements, and decisions. Are they economical in their application? Editor: Now that you mention it, yes. Each line seems deliberately placed. So you're saying the drawing isn’t just *of* a goat, but *about* the act of drawing itself? Curator: Precisely! And we should consider the availability of materials in Hirt's time. The relative affordability of ink and graphite suggests a widening of artistic practice beyond traditional academic circles and the role consumption plays in art creation. Editor: I never thought of it that way before; it’s about the tools as much as the subject. It certainly offers a new way of appreciating seemingly simple drawings. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure. Focusing on materiality often unlocks unexpected perspectives.