Ornament des Nick Bottom als Pyramus mit Garnspule und Schere before 1868

Paul Konewka, a German-Polish silhouette artist, created this piece, ‘Ornament des Nick Bottom als Pyramus mit Garnspule und Schere’ in the 19th century. Konewka was working in a time when traditional art forms were being questioned, and new modes of expression were emerging. Here, Konewka depicts Nick Bottom, a character from Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream,’ as Pyramus, with a thread spool and scissors. It’s an interesting take, given that Bottom, a male character, is an actor playing Pyramus, who disguises himself as Thisbe, a woman. Konewka’s work subtly challenges conventional gender roles. The use of silhouettes, a popular and accessible art form, also speaks to the evolving relationship between art and its audience during this period. Konewka's exploration of characters and narratives invites us to reflect on the complexities of identity, performance, and representation.