A Rocky Hillside with Dead and Dying Trees 

Adolphe Etienne Viollet-Le-Duc II sketched 'A Rocky Hillside with Dead and Dying Trees' using pen and brown ink on paper. At first glance, the composition reveals a stark landscape dominated by diagonal lines, creating a sense of instability. The monochromatic palette and stark contrast evoke a somber mood. Viollet-Le-Duc's use of line is particularly striking; he employs hatching and cross-hatching to build form and shadow. The dead trees, rendered with wiry, broken lines, convey decay. This can be interpreted as a semiotic code that speaks not only to natural decline but also to broader themes of transience and the passage of time. The rocky hillside itself, depicted with sharp, angular strokes, challenges our perception of nature as harmonious. Viollet-Le-Duc uses formal elements to destabilize established notions, prompting a re-evaluation of the natural world. The piece is a reminder that even in decay, there is a certain stark beauty.