Skating on the Wissahickon 1875

Johan Mengels Culverhouse captured this scene of Skating on the Wissahickon with oil paint on canvas. Oil paint allows for the depiction of light and shadow that really brings this winter scene to life. Think about the processes involved in making paint itself. The grinding of pigment, the mixing of oil, the careful layering of color to create depth and form. Notice how these layers give texture to the flat surface of the canvas. The artist uses thin glazes of color to capture the cold light of the sky, and thicker strokes to describe the figures on the ice. There's a real tension here between the skillful rendering of details – the folds of fabric, the bare branches of the trees – and the overall atmospheric effect. Culverhouse has blended traditions of landscape painting with techniques from portraiture, creating a scene that feels both real and romantic. Through these processes, Culverhouse not only depicts a winter scene, but also elevates an everyday activity to the realm of fine art.