Corner of a Garden Court 1815 - 1821

Friedrich Salathé rendered this pencil drawing, titled 'Corner of a Garden Court,' with a soft touch. The most prominent visual elements are the staircase and fountain, both ancient symbols of transition and purification. The staircase evokes ascent, a motif that reaches back to ancient ziggurats and pyramids, symbolizing spiritual elevation. We see echoes of this in Renaissance art, where staircases often represent access to higher knowledge or divine realms. Here, however, the staircase appears to lead nowhere, leaving the viewer in a liminal space, filled with expectation, yet uncertain of direction. The fountain, adorned with foliage, is a classical symbol of life and renewal. But observe how Salathé renders the water as barely a trickle. This subtle depiction reminds us of the transience of life, the gentle passage of time, and the cyclical nature of existence, where renewal is always balanced by decay.