Weisshorn of Montana 1915

Ferdinand Hodler made this oil on canvas painting, Weisshorn of Montana, with a reduced palette, and simple, direct strokes, which feel so attuned to the natural world. You can feel the materiality of the paint, it’s not overly thick but definitely present, creating a textured surface that catches the light. He uses horizontal strokes to build up the water, and short, broken strokes to describe the mountains and sky. There's a striking band of pinkish purple running along the horizon line in the clouds. It's a small detail, but it adds a touch of unexpected color to the otherwise cool tones of the painting, and it brings out the pastel colours of the water and the sky. Hodler’s landscapes remind me of Courbet, especially in their solidity. There’s something so straightforward and honest in both artists’ approach to depicting the natural world. Art isn’t about answers, it’s about asking questions, and the best art embraces ambiguity.