Lying goat to the right 

Curator: We’re looking at a piece here in the Städel Museum’s collection called "Lying Goat to the Right" by Friedrich Wilhelm Hirt. It’s a drawing done in ink, likely dating back to the 18th or 19th century. Art Historian: It has such a serene feeling! There's something almost regal in how this goat is portrayed, despite the humble setting. The limited color palette, only browns and creams, also contributes to a sort of old-world pastoral feel. Curator: Pastoral certainly resonates. This image, although seemingly simple, intersects with broader themes related to our understanding of nature and its depiction in art through the ages. We need to consider that representations of animals in art often carried specific ideological weight. Was this merely an exercise in realism, or something more? Art Historian: Absolutely, animals in art are never *just* animals! Goats, in particular, carry complex symbolic associations, from fertility and vitality to scapegoating and even the demonic. I wonder, within its specific context, if this goat was meant to symbolize pastoral simplicity or if Hirt meant something else? The way the goat gazes directly out at the viewer invites you to engage, but without context, its meaning is locked. Curator: Agreed. The act of portraying a common farm animal like a goat itself challenges assumptions about high and low art, blurring the boundaries of who and what deserves artistic representation. Considering the societal changes unfolding at the time this drawing may have been created, how does it reflect shifting class structures and social values in art? Is this a commentary on humanity's place within the broader natural order? Art Historian: You’ve made me see it in a new light. Initially, I perceived only an idyllic scene, but the power of a symbol lies in its flexibility. Hirt's use of simple line work also intrigues me. There’s a fluidity to it that feels effortless. What initially appeared uncomplicated holds greater depth once you begin analyzing the work's lines and shading. Curator: Exactly. Works of art, even something as apparently straightforward as a goat, open conversations about ourselves and society at large, when properly researched and considered. Art Historian: I came away seeing both serenity and also encoded meaning within something very simple in outward appearance.