Gewässer mit zerklüftetem Felsufer 

Franz Kobell made this landscape, ‘Gewässer mit zerklüftetem Felsufer,’ using pen and brown ink, in the late 18th or early 19th century. The artist has worked with a limited palette to create a complex scene. Through hatching and cross-hatching, the pen has given the landscape texture and depth. Ink is a readily available material, and the process of drawing is immediate. The artist has captured a fleeting moment in time, the stillness of the water contrasting with the ruggedness of the rocks. The material simplicity allows Kobell’s skill to shine. The landscape comes alive through the artist’s mark-making. The varying pressure and speed with which he applied ink to paper. The drawing becomes more than just a representation, it shows us the artist's hand, his aesthetic vision, and the world as he saw it. Looking closely, the drawing shows that so-called ‘fine art’ is as much about material and process as anything else.