Lot 1538 Dα

When Achenbach returned from his sojourn to Norway in 1839, he brought back numerous sketches and studies, which he later adapted into full-scale paintings. The present work, dated 1862, was presumably also inspired by this highly influential period in Scandinavia. The moss-covered roofs of the peasant huts, the rocks overgrown with lichen and wild plants, the bare, uprooted trees in the right foreground, the rushing stream, and the looming storm clouds all demonstrate the dynamic power of nature. In the confines of a reduced colour palette, Achenbach uses minute graduations in tone to naturalistically capture all facets of the landscape. Within this detailed depiction, one can almost hear the gushing of the mountain stream and smell the musky perfume of the damp pine forest.