La Serpentara near Olevano
1829
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1829
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see a rocky hillside covered in twisted trees and patches of sunlight near a small Italian village. Preller painted this spot over and over while he lived in Rome. He wanted to show nature as grand and alive, not just a pretty postcard. The trees look like they’re dancing in the wind, even though the scene is still. If you like this quiet, wild feeling, look up the technique called *chiaroscuro*.
