Unterstand oder Holzsteg an einem Bachlauf 

Curator: Welcome. Let’s spend some time with Franz Kobell's ink and pen drawing, "Unterstand oder Holzsteg an einem Bachlauf", which translates to "Shelter or Wooden Bridge on a Brook." Editor: It feels...instantaneous. Like a fleeting observation quickly captured. It has that scratchy, searching energy. Almost frantic. Curator: Absolutely, Kobell’s line work is key. Look how he uses the pen to build form and texture. There is a real emphasis on process with his pen stroke; see the contrast he obtains on those rocks versus the brook water flow and foam by the little falls. Editor: Yes! The mark-making conveys the different materials beautifully, from stone and earth to flowing water and wooden constructions. It’s also worth noting that pen and ink, relatively inexpensive and readily available, makes this type of study highly accessible and repeatable for the artist. He’s experimenting here. Curator: I see this drawing as an investigation of light. Notice the strong contrasts, the areas where the ink is densely layered, and where the white of the paper peeks through, creating highlights. Editor: Light certainly defines volume here. Also, think about the relationship to the hand of the artist here. You see so clearly in each stroke Kobell's relationship to the pen and the page, no matter how light his touch may be. Curator: Indeed, and landscape, for Kobell, was a journey of both external observation and internal reflection. There's a certain freedom here. He isn’t necessarily presenting a finished “masterpiece” in the traditional sense, but perhaps a piece to understand. Editor: This gives us a great sense of immediacy. I can practically feel the moisture in the air, the coolness of the shade by the brook. Curator: Me too! Even just spending a little time with "Shelter or Wooden Bridge on a Brook," can inspire the artist to ask so many questions! It is something you will certainly observe, and also feel.