The Hut of the Herb-Woman in Full Moon 1907

Julius Sergius Klever probably used oils to create this landscape, imagining the hut of a herb-woman under the full moon. I see the artist layering strokes of white and brown to build up a convincing snowscape. There are so many thin washes, one over the other, making the surface alive with subtle shifts and ghostly marks. The brushstrokes feel quick and certain, like he had to capture the scene before the light changed. I can almost feel the cold air and hear the crunch of the snow, and wonder what Klever was thinking, standing there in the snow, painting outside. Did he know the herb-woman? Maybe he imagined her, a solitary figure in a world of white, going about her business as the moon rises. The way the light catches the edges of the trees, feels like a very personal statement from Klever, suggesting the mysteries of nature and the quiet strength of those who live within it. Painters are always talking to each other across time, inspiring each other, riffing on ideas. I can see Klever has something in common with Caspar David Friedrich, although he's very much his own person. Painting lets us enter a space of imagination, offering different ways of seeing and feeling.