Q131586196

The panel support on this 1872 Koller work at the Kunsthaus Zürich distinguishes it from the majority of his oil paintings on canvas. Panel was less commonly used by nineteenth-century Swiss painters for finished works of this period, suggesting this may have been a study or a smaller, more intimate composition. Koller used panel supports for some of his outdoor sketches, allowing him to capture direct observations quickly before developing them further on canvas. The 1872 date precedes the Gotthard Post compositions by a year, situating this work in the immediate run-up to one of his most ambitious projects.

The panel support allows for very smooth paint application with minimal texture from the ground. Koller's handling on panel tends to be crisper and more precise than on canvas, as the non-absorbent surface keeps paint mobile longer and allows fine adjustments. Edges are typically sharper and the paint film thinner overall.