Kahle Bäume an einem Gewässer 

Editor: Here we have Franz Kobell’s “Bare Trees by a Body of Water,” created sometime in the eighteenth century. It’s an etching done with ink and graphite on paper. The reflections in the water feel quite serene. What stands out to you? Curator: Notice the lines first, Editor. The meticulous, almost scientific precision with which each branch is rendered. The use of line directs our eye across the image, activating negative space and thus enriching the experience. What do you observe about the overall composition? Editor: Well, the bare trees dominate the scene, and the reflections add a kind of symmetry. But it doesn’t feel rigidly balanced. Curator: Precisely. The structural asymmetry suggests a rejection of purely academic ideals, while at the same time the line work contains remarkable geometry of shape and form, and also texture. See how the variation in pressure creates an atmospheric depth within a rather shallow plane? The composition, however natural it seems, follows a calculated orchestration, each element building to an aesthetic whole. Editor: I hadn’t really considered how much control the artist had over the seemingly natural landscape. Curator: Indeed. The apparent simplicity belies a profound structural complexity. So what overall affect is being communicated? Editor: It’s thought-provoking to look at the layers and deliberate arrangements of an artist even when working with a seemingly natural form like trees. It’s a lovely drawing but what is remarkable is the depth of the mark making. Curator: Exactly. The way each calculated etching mark on this bare scene communicates complexity and balance in nature, is ultimately enriching.