Description:
Paul Edgar Crodel (1862-1928) studied under Theodor Hagen in Weimar and Hermann Baisch in Karlsruhe. He made numerous study trips to France, Holland, Mecklenburg and Switzerland, eventually settling in Munich. He was a co–founder of the Munich Sezession, which he took part in almost every year. He mostly painted moody landscapes, trying to transfer the first impression of nature he observed onto canvas.

Description of the image:

The wrinkled surface of the water blurs the distorted reflections of the surrounding reddish, late–autumn trees. The high horizon obscures a hill covered with a snow cap, allowing only a glimpse of a faint beige sky. The sky reflected from the surface of the river is somewhat more intense in color. It seems to be saturated with the colors of the setting or rising sun.

The captured corner in the frame appears to be a quiet and secluded place. The gently flowing water is framed in snowy hues emitting delicate blues and brightening the composition. The intimacy is underscored by the curtain of the high slope on the opposite bank. Nothing distracts from the peace brought by the nature depicted in the painting. Although Crodel used the oil technique here, the painting, painted with a dry brush, more resembles a pastel drawing. It is certainly a fairly quick record of the observed view.

The Amper River is a tributary of the Isar, flowing through Munich, where Crodel settled permanently, after many artistic searches. He was fascinated by the impressionistic approach to capturing fleeting light impressions. He mainly painted winter landscapes with streams and rivers, which allowed him to observe the nuances of color in snow and water.