Landscape with a Stile. The Isle of Møn 1810

Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg made this landscape with a stile using oil paints. He painstakingly layered color upon color to evoke the fields and sunlight of Møn. Oil paint can be blended to create a convincing illusion of depth and light. But Eckersberg doesn’t just use this material to create a pretty picture. He uses the very qualities of paint to make the scene meaningful. Note how the golden light seems to emanate from the paint itself. The artist gives us not just a landscape, but a moment in time. And what of the people depicted? They’re not gentry; they’re working folk, taking a rest from the demands of agricultural labour. The artist calls attention to the lives lived in the landscape and the rhythms of nature. He elevates it to the scale of fine art. In doing so, Eckersberg encourages us to see the beauty and dignity in everyday life.