Mountain landscape with a body of water 

Editor: This is Franz Kobell’s "Mountain Landscape with a Body of Water," a drawing using ink and pencil. It reminds me of sketching outside on a cloudy day…kind of calming. What stands out to you about this piece? Curator: It feels almost dreamlike, doesn't it? Kobell is playing with light here – look how he uses varied line weights to suggest the play of sun on the water versus the solidity of the rocks. It's less about photographic accuracy, and more about capturing the feeling of *being* in that landscape. The sketch is the thing itself. I imagine him finding immense satisfaction, watching, sketching; do you see what I mean? Editor: Yeah, definitely! It feels less like a polished painting and more like…a moment captured, maybe in a sketchbook? So it wasn't necessarily made for public viewing. Curator: Exactly! These sketches allowed the artist to experiment freely, outside of the rigid structures found elsewhere. Pen in hand and…release! How else can we learn if we do not allow for happy accidents? You can sense Kobell really working to understand the underlying forms. See how those rocks are practically hugging the water, creating this sense of depth. He does that without being finicky. I always have so much more appreciation for a painting when I know how the artist builds these relationships on paper. Do you? Editor: Absolutely! Knowing it’s a quick study makes me focus more on the artist’s process and decisions. It feels really immediate and intimate. Thanks for pointing that out. Curator: My pleasure. Maybe a walk in nature is next? Let the accidents find their way to you.