Dresden – Christian Gottlob Hammer, 1810-1820

MONUMENTAL VIEW OF DRESDEN FROM THE ELBE, C. 1810–1820

View of Dresden from the north-east, outline etching (Umrissradierung) by Christian Gottlob Hammer, published in Dresden by Heinrich Rittner, c. 1810–1820. With original hand-colouring. Image approx. 44.5 × 64 cm. The sheet has been remargined.

From the green banks of the Elbe on the side of the present-day Neustadt, we look across the river towards the monumental skyline of the Saxon royal residence. To the left, the great dome of the Frauenkirche dominates the view, while farther to the right the towers of the Kreuzkirche, the Catholic Hofkirche and the Dresden Residenzschloss rise above the surrounding buildings. With its long succession of stone arches, the Augustus Bridge spans the Elbe, connecting the old city with the Neustadt.

Along the river stands the Brühl’s Terrace, shown here before the major nineteenth-century alterations to the riverbank. Beneath its high walls are landing places, boats and goods; the later continuous riverside road does not yet exist. It was only from the 1820s onwards that a road was constructed below the terrace wall, initially along only part of the riverfront.

Hammer enlivened the grand architectural panorama with scenes of everyday life on and beside the Elbe. Small cargo boats and rowing boats move across the water, while logs and other goods are stored along the bank. In the foreground, riders make their way beside the river, while to the right an elegantly dressed group strolls with a dog. The broad, almost undeveloped riverbank forms a tranquil counterpoint to the densely built-up Baroque city on the opposite shore. The subtle colouring enhances this effect: pale blues and greens in the sky, water and grass allow the sandstone architecture to stand out with remarkable clarity.

Christian Gottlob Hammer (1779–1864) was one of Dresden’s most important landscape draughtsmen and printmakers. He studied at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts from 1794, became a member of the academy in 1816 and was appointed professor extraordinary in 1829. His highly accurate yet picturesque views of towns and landscapes in particular enjoyed considerable popularity. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe also admired his work: he collected prints by Hammer and visited the artist in his Dresden studio in 1810.

Price: Euro 1.450,-