Blick vom Mädelstein auf die Wartburg c. 1795 - 1799

Editor: This is "Blick vom Mädelstein auf die Wartburg" by Georg Melchior Kraus, made around 1795-1799 using watercolor, tempera, chalk, and pencil. I find the textures quite intriguing, the rough chalky foreground against the delicate watercolor sky. What can you tell me about the artist’s choices in materials? Curator: Kraus’s combination of media speaks to a moment of transition. We see the valuing of "plein air" sketches using readily available and portable materials, allowing for a direct relationship with the subject. But why combine media like this, mixing chalk, a dry medium often used for preparatory sketches, with watercolor and tempera, associated with more finished works? Editor: Perhaps he wanted to capture the immediacy of the scene while also giving it a sense of permanence? Was this common at the time? Curator: Exactly. Consider the socio-economic factors. Paper was becoming more accessible, allowing for more extensive sketching. The pencil and chalk underdrawing suggest a rapid recording of the landscape's essential forms, while the watercolor wash adds a layer of perceived "finish" or marketability. Editor: Marketability? Was Kraus producing these landscapes to sell? Curator: Quite possibly. The rise of the middle class and the associated taste for picturesque views fueled a demand for such works. We might see the careful application of watercolor not just as aesthetic choice, but as a mark of labor – the application of skill intended for eventual financial remuneration. Think about the amount of labor represented. Editor: So it’s less about pure artistic inspiration and more about the means of artistic production during that era? I hadn’t considered that angle. Curator: Precisely. By examining the materials and the way they are used, we get a better understanding of the social and economic context of Kraus’s practice, how these ‘romantic’ scenes also represent a changing marketplace for art. Editor: Fascinating. I will definitely look at art with a more material lens moving forward!