Mann unter einer WetterfichteSchwarzwald, Bernau - Kaiserberg 19 - 1862

Curator: This is a pencil drawing from around 1862 by Philipp Röth, titled "Man Under a Weather-Beaten Spruce, Black Forest, Bernau – Kaiserberg." It resides here with us at the Städel Museum. Editor: My first impression? Quietly epic. A solitary figure taking shelter beneath this towering, windswept spruce. It whispers tales of resilience. Curator: It’s interesting that Röth places a human figure within this imposing natural setting. During the Romantic era, landscapes were often used to reflect the sublime, the overwhelming power of nature, but also the human experience within it. Editor: Absolutely! And this figure seems almost absorbed by the tree, doesn’t he? He's not dominating the scene, but blending in, a tiny part of this huge drama of survival against the elements. The loneliness is almost tangible. I feel a bit like I am watching someone be alone. Curator: Röth’s skillful use of pencil lends the drawing a stark, almost haunting quality. Consider how he's deployed light and shadow. The dark strokes create texture in the branches and highlight the way the wind might whips through the higher elevations, while the subtle shading hints at a vastness of the Black Forest landscape. Editor: The tree is also bent so profoundly by the wind that the whole image gives this sensation that someone took the Earth and tilted it. It gives a visceral feeling of wind resistance that the figure underneath that enormous entity has a sort of quiet reverence for, or maybe fear? He almost seems vulnerable. I mean, that could be me on a really, really terrible Tuesday afternoon. Curator: (chuckles) Perhaps Röth is trying to capture a tension between the Romantic fascination with nature’s grandeur and its capacity for indifference. The human figure serves as a reminder of our own vulnerability in the face of such powerful forces. But vulnerability in these cases is to be awed and celebrated! Editor: Or maybe it’s just a beautifully rendered depiction of a man seeking refuge from a Black Forest rainstorm, haha. Still, standing here, imagining myself under that very tree...It really does makes you contemplate your place in the grand scheme of things. Thank you Philipp Röth. Curator: It certainly offers a poignant reflection on humanity’s relationship with the natural world during that period. Thanks for offering such great observations!