Industry in competition with craftsmanship

The background of the drawing is the empire of Maschinenbau AG Nuremberg against the silhouette of the city. Set in the centre of the foreground is Paul Ritter himself, who steps in front of Noris and doffs his hat to her. Sitting on a raised pedestal, Noris appears with a crown and the Nuremberg city coat of arms. Her hand gesture is meant to signal that she is willing to listen to his request. The subject is probably Ritter's concern for the crafts, which are being overrun by increasing industrialisation and are also becoming a threat to the city of Nuremberg. A blacksmith, who appears on the far right of the picture, is here representative of the crafts.

 (quoted from: Paul Ritter and the Cultural-Historical Cityscape of Nuremberg in the Late 19th Century, Silke Colditz-Heusl, 2013)