Zwei von Gebüsch umstandene Bäume 

Curator: Standing before us is a pencil drawing entitled "Zwei von Gebüsch umstandene Bäume," or "Two Trees Surrounded by Bushes," by Friedrich Metz, housed here at the Städel Museum. Editor: It's beautifully delicate! The lines feel so tentative, like a whisper of a forest. Almost ghostly in its restraint, do you see what I mean? Curator: I do. Metz's strength truly lies in capturing form with an almost scientific precision, focusing on the anatomy of the trees. Consider how he renders the organic structures— the branching patterns, the texture of the leaves... there's an intensity in the observation that transcends simple representation. Editor: And it almost feels Romantic in its pursuit, too, don't you think? Like trying to grasp at the sublime through sketching. I can see the way trees and landscapes like these become symbolic of nationhood and identity during this time, too. Look at how deliberately those trees are placed, as if on display. I can not help but look for meaning in them. Are these "German trees?" Are they framing our perspective, almost like sentinels guarding an entry to a secret or a lost forest? Curator: Perhaps, but maybe that’s just our modern compulsion to dissect for meaning? I always wonder if, on some level, he simply felt compelled to document their natural beauty, driven purely by aesthetic fascination. This reminds me when, as a child, I’d try and try again to capture just the right curve of the tree outside my window... The pure act of trying to record it all. Editor: And there is always meaning embedded in these "attempts," conscious or not. And to attempt to grasp, is to be entangled with power. How do you, as an individual or a community, frame the spaces of freedom or captivity that you imagine yourself to be dwelling within? Perhaps Metz saw an imposing forest and maybe attempted, through lines, to frame a different relation. Curator: Hmm... food for thought! Regardless, it makes me appreciate Metz's vision and commitment. He manages to invite contemplation of trees on both an immediate and almost, metaphorically deep scale. It is pretty powerful, however one wants to interpret it. Editor: Indeed! Trees aren't just trees, and Metz shows us that, if nothing else.