Der Klingenturm in Rothenburg Ob Der Taube 

Curator: Standing before us is "Der Klingenturm in Rothenburg Ob Der Taube," a pencil drawing by Toby Edward Rosenthal. Editor: It’s delicate, isn't it? Like a memory etched in charcoal. There's a dreamlike quality to it, almost melancholic. It reminds me of old postcards. Curator: Yes, there’s a fragility to the medium. Rosenthal's choice of pencil lends a particular quality to the portrayal of this iconic cityscape. It captures a moment of suspended animation. Editor: I agree. It's not just a record, it’s more…intimate, I think. The way he’s rendered the stones of the tower, almost like he's caressing each one. Does the Klingenturm have any specific historical importance, something it represents? Curator: It certainly does. Medieval towers like this weren't just defensive structures; they stood as symbols of civic power and mercantile strength. They anchored a town's identity. The Klingenturm, in particular, guarded an entry point, both physically and symbolically representing Rothenburg's self-reliance. Editor: And Rosenthal focuses on the physical presence, but what does it mean? There is this incredible stoicism of this kind of building but is it a romanticism? A comment about memory or the fading of things? Curator: Memory is indeed a key element. Rosenthal created this when Rothenburg, and indeed many walled cities like it, were becoming objects of nostalgia. His decision to render it in pencil seems deliberate; it softens the imposing nature of the structure, imbuing it with the gentle patina of recollection. Editor: You're right. There’s a tension here, though. It's detailed, almost photographic, but the very softness makes it feel transient. It's a whisper of a place rather than a shout. Almost feels like the moment just before waking. Curator: And that is the inherent magic of images: The simultaneous dance between representation and something almost intangible, that makes up our memories and experiences. It all adds to a layered narrative—personal, cultural, architectural all at once. Editor: It gives you so much to consider – it’s lovely how much complexity exists within something so… simple.