Reiter in bewaldete Landschaft an einem See 

Franz Kobell created this ink drawing of a "Rider in a wooded landscape by a lake," now at the Städel Museum. The monochromatic palette emphasizes the intricate linework, which articulates the texture of foliage and landscape with remarkable precision. The composition uses layering to create depth, with the foreground defined by dense shrubbery and the silhouetted figure of the rider, leading the eye towards the calmer, more distant lake. Note how the trees are not merely decorative, but structural elements. Their canopies fill the upper register, creating a visual ceiling that contains the scene. Kobell's expert use of hatching and cross-hatching not only models the forms but also adds a dynamic quality to the landscape, capturing the subtleties of light and shadow. This emphasis on structure invites us to consider how landscapes can be both a visual and intellectual construct.