Der Urlauber 1880

Franz von Defregger created "Der Urlauber," using oil paint on canvas. Look closely and you'll see that Defregger used broad brushstrokes, particularly in the background, giving the scene an almost dreamlike quality. He was working within a well-established tradition, but the way he handled the oil paint, with its textures and subtle color gradations, is key to the work's success. The materiality contributes to the mood, a sense of warmth and familiarity. It seems a world away from the industrial revolution, yet of course, without the technologies of paint production and distribution, this image simply wouldn't exist. This tells us a lot about the social context in which Defregger was working, he romanticizes traditional rural life at a time of great change. Defregger challenges the idea that fine art is somehow separate from the everyday world.