Christian Friedrich Gille, Tree tops against a blue sky, in the background the Elbe (?). About 1835/1840. Christian Friedrich Gille1805 Ballenstedt/Harz - 1899 Dresden Oil on paper, mounted on cardboard. Unsigned. Verso inscribed in lead by another hand. We thank Dr. Gerd Spitzer, Bad Harzburg, for his kind advice. Cf. similar works in: Gerd Spitzer: "Christian Friedrich Gille. 1805 - 1899. painterly discovery of nature". Petersberg 2018. plate 58 and plate 95f. Cardboard somewhat curved. Small crease in paper at corner upper left. Punctual protrusion of the image carrier with retouching u.Mi. Within the left half of the picture more distinct traces of scratches and pressure (up to ca. 4,5 cm), partly with losses of the painting layer. Isolated tiny spots of paint layer loss in the leaves (at the left margin mi., o.mi. as well as o.r.). Margins with isolated unpainted areas (inherent to the work) and with slight abrasion of former framing. Dimensions: 27, 3 x 36,7 cm, painting board 28 x 37,4 cm. Christian Friedrich Gille 1805 Ballenstedt/Harz - 1899 Dresden From 1825 Gille began his studies at the Dresden academy of arts under the landscape copper engraver Johann G. A. Frenzel. From 1827-30 he was a pupil of Johann C. Dahl, who taught him landscape painting. Through Dahl's mediation and advocacy Gille got his first commissions as an engraver in the early 1930s, among others for the 'Bildchronik' of the Saxon Art Society. At the same time he worked with the lithographer Ludwig Theodor Zöllner, who taught him the new technique. However, Gille did not give up his interest in painting at that time. In intensive studies he created numerous small oil sketches and drawings, which in later years were also enriched by large-format works. However, he was never able to earn his living entirely on his own through his extensive oeuvre of paintings, so that he continued to work as a graphic artist and at times also as a drawing teacher.