Here Hetzel paints a landscape beautiful in its simplicity and evocative of rural Pennsylvania even today. A dirt road rutted by wagon wheels meanders along a rock outcropping, cutting back and to the right from the center foreground. One does not see its end, perhaps symbolic how life is unpredictable, with its many twists and turns. A small figure of a man can also be seen in the far distance; although we cannot make out details about him such as his age or occupation, he is clearly miniscule relative to the awesome scale of nature around him.
The painting is largely comprised of green tones with many trees surrounding the country road. Little sky is visible, but what is seen is indicative of a summer day, filled with puffy white clouds peaking through the forest, with the sunlight casting prominent shadows on the road. The artist's use of chiaroscuro to mold form is clearly visible, as is the modulating tones of color used to create subtle contrasts between the bright greens of the grass and leaves, and the dark browns and grays of the tree trunks and rocks.
On the left, a glimpse of a small stream lazily flowing through a lower meadow is seen, peaceful and idyllic. The presence of a fallen tree in the immediate foreground (directly above the artist's signature) serves as a visual reminder not only of the ever-changing entropy of nature, but also of the intrusive presence of man—and how nature continues on despite it. |
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