Zwei Mädchen halten sich umschlungen 

Jakob Fürchtegott Dielmann created this drawing of two embracing girls with graphite and watercolor. It offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of young girls in 19th-century Germany. The girls, presumably sisters, huddle together, perhaps for warmth or comfort. The tenderness of their embrace speaks to the importance of family bonds in a society undergoing rapid industrialization and urbanization. Dielmann's loose, sketch-like style emphasizes the girls' vulnerability and innocence. The drawing might reflect the growing interest in childhood as a distinct phase of life, a concept popularized by Romantic writers and educators. At the same time, the image evokes the sentimentalism and moralizing tone that often characterized bourgeois family values. To fully understand this drawing, we might consult diaries, letters, and conduct books from the period, as well as studies of German social history. These resources can illuminate the complex social and cultural forces that shaped Dielmann's vision and his understanding of childhood.