Eugene von Guérard
It is Friday ... so time for something breathtaking!
Eugene von Guérard’s North-east view from the northern top of Mount Kosciusko celebrates the awe-inspiring aspects of the Australian landscape. Von Guérard, who was the Austrian painter, visited the Mount Kosciuszko region in 1862 with a party led by the German scientist George Neumayer, who was studying terrestrial magnetism and conducting a survey of Victoria. Von Guérard later painted this work in his Melbourne studio from sketches made on the journey. Von Guérard was active in Australia from 1852 until 1882. Known for his finely detailed landscapes in the tradition of the Düsseldorf school of painting, he is represented in Australia's major public galleries.
Von Guérard depicted the view from Mount Townsend, the second highest point in Australia, looking towards Mount Jagungal. In the foreground he introduced a large mound of boulders underneath which Neumayer and his assistant are shown taking barometric readings to determine the height of the mountain. Von Guérard introduced these boulders into the painting to increase the drama of the scene and to emphasize the physical insignificance of the men in the mountain landscape. In the distant sky he captured the approaching storm, which later overtook the party on the mountain.
P.S. Discover the Australian artistic landscape inspired by the continent's endemic nature. <3