Gezicht op de Thunersee vanaf het kasteel van Thun 1766

Johann Ludwig Aberli made this delicate watercolor and etching of the Thunersee from Thun Castle. The composition layers the landscape into distinct horizontal bands, leading the eye from the townscape to the distant mountains. Aberli skillfully uses light and atmospheric perspective. Notice how he employs paler tones and less detail for the mountains in the background. This suggests depth and distance, creating a sense of vastness. The foreground buildings are rendered with more precision, anchoring the viewer in a tangible space. The cool blues and greens evoke tranquility, while the subtle gradations of color model the forms and textures, from the solid mass of the castle to the shimmering surface of the lake. Aberli’s delicate touch invites us to contemplate the picturesque harmony between nature and architecture. It is not just a representation of a location, but an artistic interpretation of space.