Waldlandschaft 1907

Richard Friese made this painting, Waldlandschaft, with oil paint, and it’s a really nice example of how simplicity can be so affecting. The artist takes a simple muted palette and some very loose, almost scribbled marks, and builds an entire landscape. The paint looks thin, like it’s been brushed on in layers, and it gives a real sense of depth to the piece. There are these subtle touches of green and gold in the foreground, which really pop against the brown of the trees. Look at the mark-making in the grassy area at the base of the work, there is a kind of rhythmic quality, with a sense of movement that makes the whole thing feel so alive. I can see the influence of the Barbizon school, they really liked to make landscapes like this, but there’s also something unique, the way Friese handles the paint, it feels contemporary. Art’s all about these echoes, these conversations across time, isn’t it?