%C2%A9 Estate of Hermann W%C3%B6hler
Mountainous Landscape with a River Valley (Gebirgige Landschaft mit Blick in ein Flusstal), 1920s
Hermann Wöhlerexpand_more
Pen and ink on chine, mounted on boardexpand_more
Gift of funds from the Longview Foundationexpand_more 2020.31
Not on Viewexpand_more
The visionary, inventive work of the German artist Hermann Wöhler, a professor of art at the teachers’ college in his hometown of Hanover, was virtually unknown in his lifetime. Two posthumous exhibitions (1987 and 2015) introduced the larger public to the magical worlds he painted and drew. His exquisite pen and black ink landscape drawings are among his most celebrated works, representing dense primeval forests and awe-inspiring vistas and skies. Wöhler was influenced by the Symbolist movement, folklore, fairytales, mysticism, and the long tradition of landscape painting and drawings in Germany, stretching back to the sixteenth century.
This mountain vista and densely wooded river valley is composed by Wöhler to evoke the vast scale of nature. The forms close-up in the foreground are drawn in painstakingly detail to record every pine needle, spindly tree branch, and rock crevice. In the distance, the wooded valley and faraway mountains stretch out as far as the eye can see. Fine pointillist dots in the sky evoke the range of shadow, light, and atmosphere in this nighttime scene. Wöhler was particularly interested in capturing transitory moments in his landscape—the effects of changing weather conditions, seasons, time, or light. Here the hidden moon rises behind one of the remote mountains to brighten the dark scene, with four moon beams bursting into the sky through the clouds like modern searchlights. The effect seems almost to suggest a divine or spiritual presence in this mysterious wilderness.
Details
- Title
- Mountainous Landscape with a River Valley (Gebirgige Landschaft mit Blick in ein Flusstal)
- Artist Life
- 1897 - 1961
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2020.31
- Provenance
- The artist (until d. 1961); his heirs, Leipzig, until 2019; Sale, Bassenge, Berlin, November 29, 2019, lot 6781, for 5,658 Euro ($6,304.71), to C.G. Boerner, for Mia.
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
© Estate of Hermann Wöhler