August Fink, Moorland Landscape

August Fink, Moorland LandscapeThis exquisite late 19th century oil painting by German artist August Fink (1846 1916) depicts a waterlogged moorland under an atmospheric sky. Its a tonal masterclass. Fink was an Academy man studying under some of the finest landscape painters in Germany and later becoming a professor in his own right. His works are wholeheartedly traditional and underpinned by his abundant skill for drawing. He followed in the footsteps of the Romantics, such as

Ridley also exhibited paintings at the Royal Academy

We also see the influence of one of his tutors

can enjoy nature’s harmony without considering its obvious perils

is eager to move

the majestic scenery extends for miles before vanishing into a distant haze

the Reverend examined the canvas more closely and soon noticed the faint outline of a head

age-related wear and repairs

She’s wearing the latest fashion of the 1860s

the majestic forms of craggy peaks bring a sense of grandeur and allude to nature’s sublimity

Monogrammed/dated and held within a gilt frame

The portrait employs the use of a feigned (or fictive) oval - a common addition during the Restoration Period

A single horseback rider gallops out of the shade