View on Oberursel 1909

Here's Ferdinand Balzer's view of Oberursel, probably made with pen and ink. I love the monochromatic palette, like a faded photograph or an old memory. I can imagine Balzer sitting on that hillside, sketching away, trying to capture the essence of the town nestled among the trees. It’s a beautiful scene, but there is something melancholic about the quietness of the image – the lone figure resting, the muted tones, the way the branches frame the view like a curtain. It's as though he's longing for something, or perhaps just appreciating the simple beauty of the landscape. The pen work is so delicate, so precise. Look at the tiny lines that make up the foliage, the way he suggests depth and texture with just a few strokes. You can see his hand moving across the page, carefully building up the image layer by layer. It reminds me of other landscape artists like Corot. We are all, after all, in conversation with each other. Painting and drawing, at its best, is about that kind of exchange.