A Prehistoric Stone Circle on a Mound, an Extensive Landscape Beyond

Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein

mid-18th–early 19th century · Black chalk or graphite, pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash, and watercolor; framing lines in pen and black ink · Drawings and Prints

Tischbein's finished drawing of giant stones set in a deserted landscape reflect northern Europe's romantic fascination with its own prehistoric past in the early nineteenth century. These rough-hewn boulders, some fallen, some still in ritual formation, hint at ancient mysteries. A related preliminary drawing (2003.100) was probably made on location. Later, Tischbein here expanded his sketch into a finished watercolor, using pen lines to describe the diverse textures of rocks and ground cover, and adding layers of color to suggest the atmosphere of a hilly barren expanse devoid of occupants.

Artist

Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein

Date

mid-18th–early 19th century

Medium

Black chalk or graphite, pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash, and watercolor; framing lines in pen and black ink

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Purchase, Didier Aaron Inc. Gift, 2003