Putto auf Delphin, Tritonenpaar (Kachelentwürfe) 

Editor: Here we have "Putto auf Delphin, Tritonenpaar (Kachelentwürfe)" by Hans Thoma, a drawing, presumably from the 19th century, that looks like studies for tiles. There’s a dreamy quality to it; figures emerging from the sea in these rough sketches. What do you see in this work, Professor? Curator: What do I see? A whisper of ancient myth swirling in a 19th-century teacup! Look at how Thoma’s figures – the putto on a dolphin, the tritons – they're both solid and ethereal, sketched with a fleeting touch. Do you get the sense that he’s conjuring memories of a lost world, almost pagan? Editor: Pagan, yes! The freedom of the nude figures definitely gives it a pre-Christian vibe. Were these kinds of classical themes common at the time? Curator: Absolutely! Though filtered through the romantic lens of the late 1800s. Thoma wasn’t just copying classical forms, though; he was reimagining them, making them his own. There's a kind of innocent playfulness in the rendering that’s rather enchanting, don’t you think? Especially that plump little cupid, jabbing at the poor dolphin. What do you make of it? Editor: He does look like he is having a bit too much fun! It’s interesting to consider this as preparation for tile work; that makes the loose drawing style make more sense. Thanks for your thoughts! Curator: And thank you for making me dust off those cobwebbed corners of my mind! Sometimes, these sketches reveal more about an artist’s soul than a finished masterpiece.