Oil on canvas
Switzerland / Austria, 19th century
Circle of Alexandre Calame (1810-1866) – Swiss Alpine painter
Overall dimensions, framed: 74 x 85 cm
Very good condition
Provenance: German private collection
The artist Alexandre Calame is considered the ‘Master of romantic Alpine painting’ and had a number of followers

The present painting is a work of an artist active in the circle of the Swiss Alpine painter Alexandre Calame, during the 19th century. Following the Romantic taste, the artist has depicted a countryside view of Salzburg in its original, rural form. Thus, the course of the river Salzach meanders gently through the green valley of the Salzburg basin, until it disappears between the Alps on the horizon. The scenery is bathed in the warm light of the evening sun, so that the clouds and the mountain peaks shine in beautiful orange and red colors. The unspoilt landscape is enlivened by two staffage figures on a small plateau at the lower center, spending the last moments of the setting sun.



Since the presence of Grand Tourists in the Alpine areas gradually increased in the 19th century, the demand of representative depictions of mountain views raised, too. Accordingly, Alpine painting was a quite lucrative market that was served by many artists. Alexandre Calame was certainly the leading artist of his genre, but it is documented that he had a number of pupils, including the famous Arnold Böcklin (1827-1902), who joined him during his mountain tours, in order to learn from the great master.



The painting is in very good condition considering its age. The canvas is relined and shows slight framing marks especially at the lower edge. The color surface shows a very fine craquelure. There are some scattered tiny retouchings, mostly affecting the sky. The ornamental frame is gilded and shows small traces of age and use. The framed work measures 74 x 85 cm. The stretcher measures 54 x 64.5 cm.



Alexandre Calame (1810-1866)

The Swiss artist Alexandre Calame was one of the most important Alpine painters of his generation. At the age of 19, he began his artistic training with François Diday (1802-1877) in Geneva, where he discovered his passion for romantic and pathetic mountain landscapes. As early as 1837, he was chosen to exhibit at the Paris Salon, so that he could develop an exquisite client base that even included Louis Philipp I and Napoleon III. At the peak of his career, Calame acted gently as an artist and entrepreneur at the same time and was represented by the art dealer Paul Durand-Ruel (1831-1922) in Paris. Some works of his large oeuvre, which also covers etchings and lithographs, can be found in the Kunstmuseum in Lucerne, in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, in the Louvre in Paris and in the Metropolitan Museum in New York.