City wall 

Editor: So, this is "City wall," a pencil and graphite drawing on paper, and although we don't have a precise date, it is currently held at the Städel Museum. I’m struck by its quiet simplicity and the stark contrast with what I imagine city life to be. What do you see in this piece, especially as it seems unfinished? Curator: Indeed, there is an inherent appeal to this unfinished state, inviting us into the artist's thought process. Beyond a literal depiction, the "city wall" serves as a potent symbol. The wall itself – what does it signify? Is it protection, exclusion, a marker of civilization, or perhaps even a barrier to progress? And how does the surrounding landscape either support or challenge that symbolism? Editor: That's a very interesting take. I had just viewed it as an old city, but the idea of a barrier definitely makes me see it differently. The sketchy style feels like a fleeting observation, maybe not a definite border. Curator: Exactly! And note the addition of text on the right. It appears unrelated to the landscape, existing almost as a separate, linguistic plane. How does its inclusion affect our interpretation? Does it juxtapose the visual with the verbal, hinting at the many stories contained both within and beyond those walls? Editor: Now I see how that shifts everything again, it definitely turns this landscape into a repository for language and the stories you suggested. I didn't really know how much unspoken depth such a simple drawing could possess. Curator: It shows how even the simplest sketch can be layered with symbolism, sparking questions about our constructed boundaries and what lies within and beyond. Each line is a trace, not just of graphite, but of thought, culture, and memory. Editor: Thanks, that gives me a new appreciation for landscape art as a means of more than just visual representation. Curator: Indeed. Now you can look at similar works of art through this symbolic lens, as the iconography of urban boundaries.