Lot 1534 Nα

Carl Spitzweg travelled to France with his friend Eduard Schleich in late 1850/1851. They were particularly interested in the work of the Barbizon School, and certain traces of their influence can be discerned in the present work. This could be the reason the piece was first entitled “Bretonische Landschaft” (Breton Landscape) in Wichmann's catalogue raisonné. He found a study relating to this work, which was made on a sojourn to Franconia in 1849. However, he dates the work to the Paris period of 1851/52 or slightly after. This perfectly balanced, almost square composition depicting a wide panorama in central perspective is arguably among the finest of Spitzweg's early works. The piece already displays first indications of the flickering style of brushwork which the artist was to develop independently in the following years.