Lot 1252 Dα

The path in the centre of this work, flanked by tall trees and shrubs, leads the viewer's gaze towards the horizon. We see a shepherd with his flock in the foreground and a carriage to the centre. Mühlig has depicted the scenery at the edge of the forest in clear, bright green and ochre tones, and the stark contrast of these to the pastel colours of the background vividly bring to life the early morning atmosphere. These elements are typical of Mühlig's works, in which he mainly depicted the landscapes of his home in the Lower Rhine Region. The figures, the shepherd with his flock and sheepdog and the cart in the mid ground all appear in a similar manner in a slightly smaller composition showing a panoramic hilly landscape (cf. Angelika Baeumerth & Wilhelm Körs: Hugo Mühlig. Leben und Werk. Düsseldorf 1997, p. 217, no. 255).
A letter from the artist to the first owner of painting allows it to be dated to precisely 1906.