Italienische Terrasse mit Mädchen und Lautenspieler 

Friedrich Nerly created this scene of an Italian Terrace with Maidens and Lute Player using watercolor. This medium gives the artwork its delicate touch, highlighting the soft textures of the fabric and foliage, as well as the hard stone. The way Nerly uses watercolor is fascinating. He builds up the image in layers, starting with light washes and gradually adding darker tones to create depth and shadow. Look at the rendering of the lute player’s costume, for instance, and the drapery to the left, which are built with multiple layers of subtle color. This technique requires patience and skill, and it speaks to a tradition of meticulous craftsmanship. The setting of the piece emphasizes how the artist approached his work. Instead of a gritty, realist subject, we have a scene of leisure and beauty. It is important to remember that Nerly made this work for a market, and the time-intensive labor of watercolor was considered a luxury. The painting thus reflects both the culture that produced it and the economics that made it possible.