Dune Motif, undated

An emphasized square format opens up the view over the vast dunescape. Though the dark clouds on the right herald heavy rainfall, the painting nevertheless conveys a sense of calm. Eugen Jettel (1845–1901), an exponent of Austrian Atmospheric Impressionism, used a monochrome palette of gloomy brown, gray and green hues in this work, while he rhythmized the surface through a balanced distribution of light and dark areas. The dry paint application is a characteristic feature of the artist’s work. This becomes particularly apparent in the loosely placed plant motifs in the foreground. Throughout the 20 years that Jettel lived in France, he focused in his painting on expansive, quiet stretches of land in France and Holland, which, over the course of the changing seasons and times of day, provided him with an inexhaustible source of inspiration.

AGW, 2023