"Berry-Picker in Mountain Landscape", 1844
Franz Eybl
In this picture Eybl depicts a country girl set against an imposing backdrop of mountains. The artist conveys the subtlest nuances in the portrait, his skill particularly evident in the rendering of the textiles and the qualities of the different materials. The patterns on the red neckerchief, the colourful bodice beneath it, the blue apron and the white of the blouse, along with the headscarf, are a picture in themselves with their interplay of subtly differentiated textures. The girl does not look directly at the viewer – she seems dreamy, lost in thought. Her reflective pose infuses the picture with an almost meditative calm.
© Collections of the Prince of Liechtenstein, Vaduz – Vienna