Landschaft mit Bäumen und Ausblick auf ein Gebirge 

This landscape with trees and a view of the mountains was rendered by Franz Kobell with pen and brown ink, on paper. It’s a relatively simple set of materials, but notice how much Kobell coaxes from them. The ink is applied in delicate, controlled strokes, that build up gradually to create depth and texture. He doesn't rely on bold gestures or painterly effects; instead, he coaxes the landscape into being, one tiny line at a time. This slow, considered process feels appropriate to the subject matter: an appreciation of nature that is not rushed, but quietly observed. Think about the labor involved, and the time it must have taken Kobell to complete this work. In that sense, it speaks to a pre-industrial sensibility, rooted in careful, patient observation. The drawing rewards our own slow looking. It exemplifies the importance of craft, and a sensitivity to material, in our appreciation of art.