Low hill 

Ludwig Metz created this delicate drawing, ‘Low Hill’, using graphite on paper, sometime in the 19th century. Metz, born in Germany in 1822, lived through a period of immense social and political upheaval as industrialization transformed the landscape and class structures. The simple, understated nature of this drawing invites us to reflect on the artist’s emotional response to the world around him. Was this a scene he encountered, a fleeting observation, or a romanticized idea? The almost ethereal quality of the graphite lends the scene a dreamlike atmosphere. There is a lonely tower on top of the low hill that emphasizes the absence of human presence or activity. In a period marked by rapid change, the stillness and quietude in this work offers us a moment of contemplation. It makes me wonder, what did Metz seek to capture in this quiet, unassuming scene? Perhaps it offers us not just a landscape, but a space for emotional and personal reflection.