108 - M. SAVIGNY (1831–1905), An Old Sawmill in the Black Forest, 1857, Pencil

M. SAVIGNY (1831–1905), An Old Sawmill in the Black Forest, 1857, Pencil Marie von Savigny (1831, Boitzenburg – 1905): Old Sawmill in the Black Forest, 1857, Pencil Technique: Pencil on paper Inscription: inscribed and dated in pencil lower right: “Loifenthal[?] 18/2 57” Date: 1857 Description: Freda Sophie Karoline Marie von Savigny, née Countess von Arnim (1831, Boitzenburg – 1905), is known to us as the wife of the Prussian envoy and co-founder of the Center Party, Karl Friedrich von Savigny (1814–1875). As such, she accompanied her husband on diplomatic trips and had to fulfill numerous representative duties and attend social events herself. The abandoned sawmill in the middle of the Black Forest exudes a pensive silence. Was the mill abandoned due to a lack of demand or modernization efforts elsewhere, or are we simply observing the mill during the quiet hours of a summer lunch break? Artfully applied highlights of white in delicate veils evoke the midday heat of a July day and lend the drawing subdued light reflections reminiscent of a direct view of the sun. Keywords: 19th century, Romanticism, Landscape, Germany, Size: Paper: 18.7 cm x 12.2 cm (7.4 x 4.8 in) Condition: Good condition. In condition appropriate for its age, with minimal signs of wear. The sheet is discolored and slightly soiled due to its age. The corners of the sheet are slightly creased.