Russisch kruis van de kerk te Malye Karmakuly, Nova Zembla 1880

This pencil sketch by Louis Apol, dated 1880, depicts a Russian cross from the church of Malye Karmakuly on Nova Zembla. The drawing, part of the Rijksmuseum collection, showcases Apol’s minimalist style and his keen eye for detail. The cross is rendered with simple lines, capturing its essential form, and the surrounding landscape is suggested with subtle shading. The artist’s attention to the cross’s specific design and the surrounding emptiness suggests a sense of isolation and reverence.