Quarry near Polling 1862

Ludwig Metz created this drawing of a quarry near Polling using graphite on paper. The craggy rocks of the quarry dominate the landscape, their rough texture and fractured forms rendered with meticulous detail. Consider how the motif of the rock has appeared throughout art history. We can observe rocks in the background of Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, where the craggy and cavernous forms become a symbol of nature's indifference to human activity. The rock is a stoic presence in art. Think of Caspar David Friedrich's Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog and the sharp rocks the figure is standing on: they have come to symbolize permanence, endurance, and a confrontation with the sublime. Metz’s rocks, like those of Friedrich, evoke a sense of timelessness. The artist uses them to convey the unyielding forces of nature. This echoes a collective memory of the earth's geological history, engaging the viewer on a deep, subconscious level, stirring profound contemplation. The motif of the rock becomes an enduring symbol that evolves, reappearing across time and space.