Italiensk fantasilandskab 1730 - 1793

Jens Petersen Lund made this Italian Landscape with sanguine chalk sometime in the 1700s. Though seemingly simple, the use of chalk is an interesting choice. Chalk is most often associated with preparatory sketches, and here it is employed as a finished presentation. The medium encourages a sense of immediacy, as if the artist has recorded the scene on the spot. But consider, too, what it means to evoke Italy using such humble means. The architectural ruins, the flora, and the distant hills, are all conjured with a common material. The image gives us the impression that it was made quickly, but the artist’s hand has carefully crafted the effect. There are variations in the pressure of the chalk and its application that create depth. The image is far from photorealistic, instead, it has a more profound expressive quality. Looking at the materials and making, we can see that the artist challenged the traditional hierarchy between drawing and painting, between sketch and finished work.