At the foot of the Salève 1890

Ferdinand Hodler made this painting of the Salève mountain near Geneva, using oil on canvas. He’s working within a tradition here, using his paints to mimic what he sees in nature. But look closely, and you’ll notice something distinct. Hodler is particularly interested in the mountain's geological forms, representing the texture and weight of the rocks. He doesn’t just paint what’s in front of him; he translates it into a kind of material language. The reeds in the foreground, for instance, are rendered as rhythmic, vertical strokes, echoing the upward thrust of the mountain itself. Hodler's use of paint transforms the landscape into something more than a pretty view. He reminds us of the deep time it took for this place to come into being. And he does it all with simple materials, expertly applied. This is what all artists do, of course, but Hodler does it with a particularly emphatic touch, reminding us that even the humblest painting has a kind of geological presence of its own.