Nick Bottom mit Eselskopf und Tom Snout sowie weitere männliche Figuren c. 1867 - 1868

Editor: Okay, so this is *Nick Bottom mit Eselskopf und Tom Snout sowie weitere männliche Figuren*, made with ink on paper around 1867-1868 by Paul Konewka. I’m struck by the rapid, almost frantic linework, it feels like catching a fleeting dream. What catches your eye? Curator: Fleeting dream... yes, I feel that! It’s Konewka channeling Shakespeare's *A Midsummer Night’s Dream*, specifically the play-within-a-play with Bottom transformed, rather rudely, into an ass. Beyond the sheer audacity of it all – turning one's head into a donkey! – Konewka’s draftsmanship here seems less about meticulous representation and more about capturing the messy, ludicrous heart of the comedic chaos, wouldn't you agree? Do you find that this rawness perhaps amplifies the sense of bewildered surprise of it all? Editor: Absolutely. The donkey-headed figure pointing is comical. You almost get a sense of narrative, even with just the lines Konewka puts on paper. The Romanticism tag almost feels out of place, but… maybe there's something about tapping into folklore here? Curator: The Romantic pull makes total sense! Yes, he’s conjuring Shakespeare, but think also: Romanticism was all about digging into folklore, celebrating the wilder side of imagination and irrationality! I wonder if it makes you think of the liminal space where humans bump up against something…other? More specifically, what sort of emotions do you think are evoked? Fear? Amazement? Humor? Editor: It's a bit of everything! I definitely get a sense of marvel and lightheartedness overall. I hadn't thought about folklore playing such a role, which is interesting. I think I'll see the work a bit differently moving forward. Curator: Beautiful. Let the dreams speak to you. After all, art offers everyone a stage upon which to enact a new experience.