Trees and shrubs 

Editor: This drawing, “Trees and Shrubs,” is by Franz Kobell, and it looks like an ink drawing, maybe a sketch, created outside. There is a sense of capturing the immediacy of nature here, which comes through its sketchy quality, almost like he's racing to capture it. What strikes you most about it? Curator: It’s fascinating to consider Kobell’s choice of materials and his process. Why ink, a relatively permanent medium, for what appears to be a quick, plein-air study? Was it about accessibility? Ink was easily transportable, more readily available than, say, a full watercolor set. Editor: So, it's more about the practicalities of art-making, rather than aesthetics in this instance? Curator: Exactly! The seeming roughness, even the hastily rendered sky, speaks to the artist’s interaction with the physical world. What limitations or possibilities did working directly from nature, with these specific materials, create for Kobell? What about the societal context? Romanticism often idealized nature, but here we see a more direct, less embellished record. Was it produced for public consumption, or more of a study of his own? Editor: That's a great point. I hadn’t considered the intended audience impacting the way an artist approaches their work and material selection. It’s interesting to consider the drawing within a market or exchange. Curator: Precisely. These plein-air sketches were not always destined for the salon. It asks, therefore, to whom and what end does the material production cater? Editor: It's been interesting looking at "Trees and Shrubs" through a Materialist lens, beyond just its appearance. Curator: Indeed. By focusing on the materials and conditions of its creation, we reveal deeper layers of meaning embedded in the artwork.