Mary Rogers Williams

Mountain and Lake View, Gruyères

1902

A rare ink and watercolor drawing by Carl Palme, dated 1921 and signed “CP 21,” captures the intimate character of Positano’s narrow alleys. Measuring ca. 20 x 24 cm without frame. Inscribed on the back that it´s a preparatory study for a larger oil painting. Early 20th century works by Palme are scarce. Carl Palme (1879–1960): Painter, Printmaker, and Cosmopolitan Artist. He was born in Stockholm in 1879, the son of bank director Henrik Palme and Anna Lavonius. He grew up on the family estate of Svalnäs, now a guest home and senior residence. From an early age, Palme showed a sensitivity to both literature and art, interests that would later merge in his career as painter, draftsman, printmaker, and author. His artistic education began in London at the Slade School of Fine Art (1900–1901), where he was introduced to modern European currents. From 1902 to 1904, he studied in Munich at Wassily Kandinsky’s art school, absorbing early expressions of color and form. In 1907, Palme moved to Paris, where he became the first Swedish student of Henri Matisse. Together with fellow Scandinavian artists, he was instrumental in founding the Académie Matisse, a collective of young painters who rented a large studio in Paris. Matisse himself visited weekly, critiquing their work and shaping what would later become a decisive wave of modernism in Swedish art. Among the group were such notable names as Isaac Grünewald, Sigrid Hjertén, and Einar Jolin...

View of the Ariccia Bridge and the Alban Hills This finely executed plein air landscape depicts the monumental bridge of Ariccia and the town with the surrounding Alban Hills, painted by German landscape artist Joachim Ludwig Heinrich Daniel Bünsow (born 1821 in Kiel, died 1910 in the same city). Executed in oil on paper mounted on cardboard, the work dates from his Italian period between 1853 and 1858. Not signed. Bünsow received his artistic training at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen from 1839 to 1848, studying under Johann Ludwig Lund and Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg. In 1844, the Copenhagen Art Association acquired his painting "Tellingstedt in Dithmarschen." Following his studies, he traveled to Dresden, where he became associated with the circle around Johan Christian Dahl. A scholarship from the Copenhagen Academy enabled Bünsow to reside in Rome from 1853 to 1858. During this period, his landscapes evolved from the finely toned, naturalistic style of his early work to more atmospheric and idealized compositions, influenced by Louis Gurlitt. Bünsow's early works from his time in Copenhagen are characterized by fine tonality and naturalistic rendering, reflecting the style of his teacher Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg. His Italian landscapes, however, exhibit a more atmospheric and idealized approach, influenced by Louis Gurlitt. Notably, Bünsow produced high-quality drawings during his time in Rome, some of which are preserved in the Kunsthalle zu Kiel. Historical Context: The Ariccia Bridge In the early 19th century, the local authorities sought to improve the Appian Way's safety and accessibility. The solution involved constructing bridges to span the Ariccia valley and adjacent ravines. In 1843, Pope Gregory XVI commissioned a six-arched bridge to address the elevation differences. Following his death in 1846, Pope Pius IX continued the project, entrusting architect Ireneo Aleandri with the design and Giuseppe Bertolini with the execution. Completed in 1854, the bridge stands as a significant 19th-century engineering achievement. Featuring three tiers of elegant neoclassical arches inspired by Roman art, it measures 59 meters in height and 312 meters in length. Travertine columns at both ends commemorate the Roman milestones...