At the centre of the exhibition is one of the most famous and, at the same time, most enigmatic paintings in the Städel Museum: “ The Little Garden of Paradise ” (ca. 1410–20). The panel—barely larger than an open book—astonishes with its wealth of detail. The Virgin Mary is seated amidst courtly society, while the enclosed garden can be understood as both a religious symbol and a setting for worldly love. The work is particularly notable for its remarkable closeness to nature.