A Jewish Cemetery in Open Country

The Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague incited Havránek to paint free variants of a cemetery set in a somewhat vaguely defined open country. Because of the tombstones that here and there reach as far as the distant horizon and the ruins of a Gothic church with two naves, this scenery with its weird imagery makes a strong impression on the viewer. The highly emotional content is enhanced by the unconspicuous brown, brown-green and brown-grey hues, put on canvas as dark contours almost in a dry water-colour-like manner. Following the example of Caspar David Friedrich, Havránek added a spiritual dimension to the reality of nature.