Malerin, den Heiland als Kinderfreund malend 

This sketch by Marie Ellenrieder at the Städel Museum presents a scene of an artist painting Christ as a friend of children. The composition is structured around two distinct yet interconnected planes: the foreground, where we see the artist at work, and the background, occupied by the unfolding scene on the canvas. Ellenrieder masterfully employs line to delineate form and space. Notice how her light, feathery strokes give shape to the figures and landscape within the painting. In this drawing, Ellenrieder reflects on the act of artistic creation itself. The gaze of the artist, focused intently on the canvas, invites us to consider the relationship between the creator, the subject, and the viewer. It raises questions about the role of the artist in interpreting and conveying religious narratives, reflecting the Romantic era’s renewed interest in spirituality and the artist’s subjective experience.