Bildnis Schmidt im Profil nach rechts 

This drawing, Bildnis Schmidt im Profil nach rechts, in the Städel Museum, was created by Carl Hoff. The piece captivates with its delicate yet precise pencil strokes, capturing Schmidt in a right-facing profile, with an overriding sense of structure and form. The lines defining Schmidt’s face, from the curve of his nose to the contours of his eye socket, are rendered with such clarity that they convey a sense of three-dimensionality. The structural elements of the face are not merely represented but seem to emerge from the page through the artist's deft manipulation of light and shadow, especially around the cheeks and the hair. Hoff uses the simplicity of line to destabilize the conventional portrait, challenging our perceptions of representation. By using minimal shading, the drawing invites a deeper interpretation of character and form. The artwork functions as more than just a likeness; it’s a cultural artifact that invites ongoing interpretations.