Artwork
La Lutschinen sortant du Glacier inférieur du Grindelwald
La Lutschinen sortant du Glacier inférieur du Grindelwald is a paint print by the Romanticist artist Charles-Melchior Descourtis. It dates from 1785 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created in 1785, this wash‑manner print by Charles‑Melchior Descourtis portrays a tranquil alpine scene.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left in plate: Wolf pinxit; lower right in plate: Descourtis sculp./ lower center in plate: LA LUTSCHINEN SORTANT DU GLACIER INFÉRIEUR DU GRINDELWALD / Canton de Berne, Province d'Interlaken / Dediée a son Excellence Monsieur de Kalitcheff, / Gentilhomme de la Chambre et Envoyé extraordinaire et Mre. Plenipotentiaire de sa Mre. L'Impératrice de toutes les Russies / auprès de LL. H. Puisances dles EE. G. des Provinces-unies. / Par son très humble et trees obeisant Serviteur R. Hentzi.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1785, this wash‑manner print by Charles‑Melchior Descourtis portrays a tranquil alpine scene. Executed on wove paper with four distinct colors, the work captures a glacier emerging from the lower Grindelwald valley, framed by rugged mountains and a distant treeline. The composition balances cool blues of ice with warm accents, inviting quiet contemplation of the landscape.
Subject & Meaning
The image centers on a massive glacier, its icy surface rendered in a dominant blue that conveys both scale and chill. Brown mountains rise behind the ice, while a solitary figure in red, accompanied by a few scattered trees, introduces a human element that underscores the relationship between people and the formidable natural environment.
Technique & Style
Descourtis employed a wash manner, layering pigments in four separate colors to achieve subtle tonal variations. The use of wove paper provides a smooth surface that enhances the delicate gradations of light and shadow, while the composition’s recession into depth reflects the Romantic interest in atmospheric perspective and the sublime qualities of nature.
History & Provenance
Printed in the late eighteenth century, the work reflects the growing European fascination with alpine scenery during the period. Though specific ownership records are scarce, the print aligns with a broader trend of travel literature and visual documentation that circulated among collectors interested in the emerging Romantic aesthetic.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Charles-Melchior Descourtis (1753–1820) was a French artist, born in Paris.
Rhonegletscher
Vue du Mont Blanc
Vue du Schild-Wald-Bach prise en Hyver
The Source of the Arveiron, with Mont Blanc in the Background
Among the Ice Floes
View of the Mer de Glace, with the Aiguille du Moine on the left, and the Grandes Forasses in distance to right
Der Rhonegletscher. Fünf Panneaux aus dem Gartensaal des Hauses zum Wollenhof
Chamonix mit dem Montblanc
Der Stubaiferner in Tirol
Alpine Scenery : Packhorses coming up a Pass