Farmstead in South Tirol 1882

Curator: Oh, look, the way that farmstead sort of emerges from the page—almost like a half-formed dream. There's something really endearing about the simplicity here, capturing a moment, a place, just so. Editor: It’s incredibly subtle. There's a tranquility there, despite the implied work of a farm. The tones of the chalk and pencil feel gentle, blending the architecture into the landscape like the buildings are growing out of the very earth they sit upon. Curator: Exactly! This piece is "Farmstead in South Tirol," a work on paper from 1882 by Louis Eysen, currently held here at the Städel Museum. Eysen, though often associated with Romanticism, had such an unassuming style, especially when you compare it with the grand historical paintings that were en vogue at the time. I can imagine him pulling out his sketchbook to catch a glimpse of this charming structure surrounded by hills... Editor: There's a powerful image there, yes, a symbol of self-reliance, isn't it? It makes me think about the story that such a farmstead represents - generations living and working in unison. Notice the almost sketched appearance of the trees; they loom tall behind the buildings, guardians watching over this home. There is something elemental here, about the connection between the human world and nature's grandeur. Curator: I agree. Look at the light as well! It’s used economically but the highlights on the roof and wall lend such dimensionality. It also makes it obvious that this was quick work, most likely on the spot and certainly captures that 'impression' aspect. Eysen really captured the building itself—an enduring symbol across culture that marks a place where both living happens and goods are cultivated—of work but also hearth. Editor: That intentionality in depiction you speak of creates resonance across all levels of society... These kinds of buildings become universal homes, but they speak so clearly to tradition. These buildings persist—ideas continue over the span of culture, even, even when history wants them otherwise! You can’t get more iconographic than that, really. Curator: I’d certainly concur, a lovely find from our collection, I must say! Editor: Definitely gives pause. Let’s move to our next piece now, shall we?