Bewachsene Felswand an einem Gewässer 

Curator: This drawing is by Franz Kobell, titled "Bewachsene Felswand an einem Gewässer," which translates to "Overgrown Rock Face on a Body of Water." Editor: It feels...sketchy, in the best way. Raw. The contrast created by the ink work, all of the crisscrossing lines to create shading, really defines the rough textures of the rock face, as the eye moves along its various planes. Curator: Landscape art was a vital form for negotiating Germany's evolving identity as the Romantic movement gained momentum. This piece perhaps showcases that shift, the way landscape paintings were used to inspire nationalism by creating scenes within nature to inspire emotional responses from people who wanted a national artistic style during Germany's unification. Editor: I’m struck by the way the lines dance across the paper. There's a distinct language to how Kobell uses cross-hatching to convey form and shadow. Look at how the horizontal lines suggest recession into the distance and how a relatively empty skyline is crafted to make it seem vast. Curator: We can consider the way people began interacting with their surroundings and how their concept of reality transformed through artistic interpretations such as those that Franz created with pen, ink, and Romantic style. The interplay of social experience and place can really encourage the observer to form a renewed social identity based upon it, as one understands that their place may influence them subconsciously. Editor: Exactly. The interplay of light and shadow gives the scene a dramatic, almost theatrical quality. The line work itself feels so... free. Kobell clearly had a strong command over their chosen medium, the use of different weighted line marks creates so much complexity without much use of blended tones. Curator: He definitely contributed significantly to the burgeoning artistic nationalism. We have to account for social and philosophical context, the sense of wonder and emotional experience, when considering artwork from this era. Editor: Absolutely. And when we do, we see just how meticulously the artist uses line to construct form and capture that emotive quality of a naturalistic vista, allowing social commentary without being too invasive. It's masterful in its restraint and intricacy.