Traveller In The Snow 1908

Julius Sergius Klever painted this winter scene with oil on canvas. Looking at the browns and beiges, I wonder how many layers he put down, scraping back, painting over. Did he work alla prima, wet on wet, to make a painting in one session? I imagine Klever outside, in the snow, with his easel, trying to capture this very moment. It must have been cold, and his hands numb. You can see the village in the background and feel the stillness. Are the villagers inside, with warm fires and hearty food? The solitary figure trudges on, but where is he going? The thick paint of the bare tree trunks contrast with the thin washes of the sky, like glazing. Klever brings this image to life. He lets you feel his solitude and makes you wonder, where is he going? Artists are always in dialogue, across time. This painting reminds me of Courbet, though more intimate. A beautiful expression.