En mølle ved Lausanne 1813

This is J.P. Møller's "A Mill near Lausanne", an undated drawing rendered in pen and brown ink. The sepia wash brings a rustic feel, highlighting the natural textures of wood and foliage. Møller’s technique involves layered washes to create depth, with the ink's fluidity capturing the organic forms of the trees and the rough-hewn planks of the mill. The very nature of a mill implicates a connection between landscape and labor; the site harnesses water power for mechanical work, a nexus point of human industry and natural resources. The artist seems less concerned with an accurate rendering than with conveying the impression of a working landscape. Drawings like this one, of pre-industrial sites of production, ask us to consider the close relationship between human effort and the environment – a relationship that industrialization would eventually transform. This artwork challenges the traditional hierarchy by valuing the depiction of everyday scenes and the processes that sustain them.