Belvedere Gardens in Winter, c. 1909

Carl Moll (1861–1945) studied with Christian Griepenkerl (1839–1912) and Emil Jakob Schindler (1842–1892) before leaving the Academy to co-found the Vienna Secession in 1897. Printed graphic works played an important part in Viennese Modernism and woodcuts flourished in Vienna around 1900. This winter view of the Belvedere Gardens recalls Moll’s square woodcuts of the Beethoven Houses, such as Mödling, Hauptstrasse 79, Beethoven Houses No. 10. Here, the focus lies on the Baroque ensemble of the architecture of Belvedere Palace and its gardens. Moll created a balanced composition; the gaze is directed from the statue of the Muse Polyhymnia over the diagonal line of the garden path to Belvedere Palace in the background. The artist skillfully uses reflections of light and a nuanced coloration to convey a winter atmosphere. Moll captured a similar snowy landscape in Hohe Warte in Vienna. Snow-Covered Villa in Döbling.

LVD, 2024