Oaks near Olevano
1854
Hausmann's sketch captures a cluster of rugged oak trees perched atop a rocky outcrop, likely drawn en plein air during a trip to the Italian countryside. The inscription 'Olevano 18 Sept 54' in the corner tells us exactly when and where he sat down to capture this scene—September 18, 1854, in the charming village of Olevano Romano. This town was a beloved retreat for 19th-century artists, often dubbed a 'German Rome' for landscape painters, and the loose, expressive lines perfectly convey the wild, windswept character of the trees against the rolling hills.