Description:

inscribed (verso): J. D E Munchener. Gessner [?]
black chalk, pen and brown ink, heightened with white, on blue paper
523 x 357 mm

Provenance:

Nachlass Eugen Roth (1895–1976), Münich
Private collection, Southern Germany

Note:

This study of a waterfall in a woodland setting is a typical example of the German landscape drawings produced in the opening decades of the nineteenth century. Influenced by the Düsseldorf School, which encouraged the close study of nature, the drawing by an unknown artist invites technical and thematic comparison with the works of Johann Christian Reinhart (1761–1847), Karl Friedrich Schinkel (1781–1841), and Heinrich Reinhold (1788–1825).

Remarkable for its freshness, this realistic depiction of nature does not seek to exaggerate the waterfall’s sublimity but instead conveys a direct observation of the scene. The detailed and highly intricate penwork forming the rocky foliage and wiry trees contrasts skilfully with the strong blue paper support, which functions as a mid-tone, suggesting the clear above sky while enhancing the effect of water falling onto the rocks.