Lines and Colors art blog

Eye Candy for Today: George Roth Landscape

View in the Bentheim Forest, George Andries Roth, oil on canvas
View in the Bentheim Forest, George Andries Roth

Link is to original in the Rijksmusem, which has both zoomable and downloadable versions (with free Rijksstudio account); additional downloadable version on Wikimedia Commons.

In this wonderful 19th century landscape, a shaft of late afternoon light slices through a break in a German forest, illuminating some objects, casting others into deep shadow, and gently warming trees in the distance.

I love the contrast between the dramatic lighting on the foreground tree and the more subtle modulation of value in the groups of trees behind it. There is also a visually fascinating layering of planes of dark and light as your eye moves back into the depth of the landscape.

The workers, horses and their activity give the scene focus and scale. My eye comes in on the foreground tree, shifts down to the middle left foreground, travels back along the path of light through the figures, up through the shaft of the lighter background, curves back through the sky and drops down into the foreground tree — ready to make the pleasurable passage again.


Comments

7 responses to “Eye Candy for Today: George Roth Landscape”

  1. chris sheban Avatar
    chris sheban

    Wow. That bright clump of leaves and the pale blue gray behind it (your bottom photo)! Man o man. Thanks for posting, Charley.

  2. Amazingly The Bentheimer Forest of 23 acres still exists at Bentheim, Niedersachsen, in Germany

  3. https://www.nps.gov/nature/index.htm
    National parks contain many of our nation’s most treasured landscapes, from the majestic mountain ranges of Alaska to the vast prairies of the Everglades.
    Learn about the natural resources in parks, from the rocks under our feet to the sky overhead and everything in between. Discover the issues that affect our parks and how we join with neighbors and partners to address them. Meet the people who protect our parks and learn how you can help preserve these treasures for generations to come.

  4. https://www.nps.gov/subjects/centennial/birthday-invitation.htm
    The National Park Service turns 100 on August 25, 2016, and we’re inviting visitors of all ages to join in the celebration throughout the month! With special events across the country, and free admission to all 412 national parks from August 25 through August 28, the National Park Service is encouraging everyone to #FindYourPark / #EncuentraTuParque for the centennial!
    Congratulations!

  5. Thank you for recognizing the genius of Roth, Charley. I’m interested in approaches to painting the forest, hope you will put some other similar posts on the topic when you can. Tom Thomson is another favorite of mine. All the best to you.

    1. Thanks, Alison. I share your fascination with painting forest and woodland scenes, and I think if you search the blog for “forest” or similar topics, you may find some additional posts of interest to you: http://linesandcolors.com/?s=forest

      Thanks for the mention of Tom Thomson.