Ludwig Schütze

Following in the tradition of Adrian Zingg, the draughtsman and engraver, Ludwig Schütze, was taught by Johann Philipp Veith in Dresden. He left a quite modest body of prints, including views of Dresden and landscape scenes from Saxon Switzerland. Only a few of his drawings have survived, however. The present study from Weesenstein in the valley of the River Müglitz in Saxony is remarkable for the apparent ordinariness of the subject matter and its straightforward, down-to-earth view of nature. Nonetheless, the little drawing stands out for its artistic freshness. Schütze has used an intricate, con­centrated watercolour technique to render the modest shrubs; a block of stone projects out of the undergrowth. The artist has made skilful use of the strong blue paper tone to create the impression of a warm and vibrant summer’s day. The simplicity of his view of nature recalls that of his great contemporary, Caspar David Friedrich.