Puck (_) mit geflügeltem Fuß sowie Puck (_) mit Flügeln und der Zauberblume c. 1867 - 1868

This pencil sketch of Puck was created by Paul Konewka, a 19th-century artist known for his silhouette illustrations inspired by folklore and mythology. Konewka, born in 1840, worked in a period marked by the rise of national romanticism, when artists and writers turned to traditional stories to explore cultural identity. Here, Konewka depicts Puck, a mischievous sprite from Shakespeare’s "A Midsummer Night’s Dream", twice over: once with winged feet, and again with wings and a magic flower. The figure's androgynous form challenges conventional gender norms, existing in a liminal space between male and female. Konewka's choice of Puck as a subject reflects a broader cultural fascination with folklore and the supernatural during the 19th century. The artist offers a vision of an ethereal being who embodies both freedom and trickery. In evoking these themes, this intimate drawing encourages us to consider the ways in which folklore can reflect and reshape our understanding of ourselves.