Mountainous Landscape
1761
Step into a rugged 18th-century wilderness where nature is the undisputed boss. Franz Kobell uses intricate pen strokes and warm brown washes to construct towering, craggy cliffs that dwarf the tiny shepherds and travelers below. This focus on the 'Sublime'—nature's awesome, slightly terrifying scale—was a major precursor to the Romantic movement. Although dated to 1761, this detailed drawing shows an artist already obsessed with the raw power of the landscape, long before the Romantics made it the main event.
- Technique
- Pen and ink with wash
- Material
- Paper