Monte Pellegrino set fra kysten ved Palermo 1893 - 1895

This is L.A. Ring's pencil drawing, "Monte Pellegrino set fra kysten ved Palermo," now at the Statens Museum for Kunst. The composition divides into three horizontal bands: sky, sea, and land. This arrangement creates a sense of depth and invites us to read the landscape through distinct layers. The soft gradations of tone, achieved through delicate pencil work, give the scene a subdued, almost melancholic atmosphere. The mountain range on the horizon is rendered with subtle detail, contrasting with the more textured foreground, which is defined by darker, more assertive lines. Ring's emphasis on the formal elements of line and tone invites a semiotic interpretation. The horizon, a line separating the known from the unknown, represents a threshold. The textures on the land might symbolize the tangible realities of human existence, while the open, undefined sky suggests infinite possibilities or the sublime. Ring’s landscape offers not just a view, but also a space for contemplation.