Artwork
A Lakeside Chapel by Moonlight
A Lakeside Chapel by Moonlight is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Maria Anna Fischer. It dates from 1814 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:recto: none; verso: in graphite, at lower left: Maria Anna Fischer / geb. 1785 / Wien; in graphite, along bottom edge at left: M. A. Fischer
- Markings
- Marked:Erhard Oskar Kaps, Leipzig (Lugt 3549)
About this work
Overview
Maria Anna Fischer’s print titled A Lakeside Chapel by Moonlight dates to around 1814. Executed as an etching with aquatint, the work presents a nocturnal landscape in which a modest chapel rests beside a tranquil lake under a luminous moon. The composition balances architectural form and natural elements, creating a quiet, contemplative scene.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts a small chapel positioned on the left bank of a still lake, its silhouette framed by surrounding trees. A solitary cross rises above the building, while a moonlit path leads the viewer’s eye toward the structure. The reflected trees and water amplify the sense of stillness, suggesting themes of solitude, spiritual refuge, and the soothing power of nature at night.
Technique & Style
Fischer employed traditional etching lines combined with aquatint washes to achieve a range of tonal values, from deep shadows to soft moonlit highlights.
Fischer employed traditional etching lines combined with aquatint washes to achieve a range of tonal values, from deep shadows to soft moonlit highlights. The delicate gradations of gray convey atmospheric depth, while the crisp outlines define architectural details. The print exemplifies Romantic sensibilities, emphasizing emotional resonance through the interplay of light, landscape, and a solitary edifice.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1814, the work belongs to the early nineteenth‑century period when printmaking was a primary means of disseminating Romantic imagery. Although specific ownership records are scarce, the piece has been cited in catalogues of Fischer’s oeuvre and appears in collections focusing on German Romantic prints, reflecting its continued relevance to scholars of the era.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Nocturnal Landscape with House and Church Spire
The Rising Moon
Christmas (Folding the Last Sheep)
Christmas, or Folding the Last Sheep
Landscape with Trees
New England Elms
Water Elms
Farm on a Hillside in Sunlight (La ferme du coteau; Effet de soleil sur le coteau)
Wooded Landscape beside a River- A Woodland Chapel at Evening