This enchanting 19th-century German oil painting depicts an epic vista at the foothills of the Alps.

Under a vast rolling sky, the majestic scenery extends for miles before vanishing into a distant haze. On the left, a wall of fir trees snake downhill, while the craggy peaks opposite guide the eye towards a river. A hunched figure walks by a cabin - another climbs with a stick.

Painted around 1860, the artistic approach of this piece is inspired by the Romantics. It places man among the sublimity of nature, its irrepressible force towering above the figures - on one hand endlessly captivating, on the other, deadly.

Stylistically, it’s reminiscent of Max Josef Wagenbauer (1774-1829) and it bears a name plaque. Perhaps the artist was a pupil. Wagenbauer often worked in the Bavarian Alps.

Held within a gilt frame.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 35” x 28” / 89cm x 72cm
Year of creation: c. 1860
Labels & Inscriptions: Label from KK Hofvergolder, the Imperial and Royal Court Gilder, attached to the stretcher. Other examples date to between 1841 and 1875.
Condition: Artwork presents well. Fine craquelure but the paint is stable. Canvas relined. Frame with some light wear.