View of the Wendelstein Range, Bavaria 18th-19th century

Curator: This work is entitled "View of the Wendelstein Range, Bavaria" created by Franz Kobell. Editor: Stark. The textures in the water and mountain are so simplified, yet evocative. It makes me wonder about Kobell’s materials. Curator: Kobell was a skilled draftsman, and mountains often represent a kind of steadfastness. Perhaps Bavaria was the bedrock of his artistic identity. Editor: Or, the mountains were simply accessible. Watercolors were portable, cheaper than oils—landscape suited the constraints of his practice. Curator: I’d like to think the artist was more emotionally invested. It's about the sublime, the enduring power of place. Editor: Perhaps. But I'm curious about the paper, the pigments, how the market influenced his choice of subject and medium. Curator: It does give us a lot to consider. Editor: Indeed. A reminder that even the most 'sublime' view involves earthly labor.