A Village Church

This small picture of a village spot with ordinary cottages, a church and staffage, emphasizes the painter's idyllic concept of art. The countryside, in part Mánes's fantasy, in part his personal experience, is the result of his many wanderings all over Bohemia in search of natural motifs. The village church with its Romanesque tower and Gothic nave is a frequent sight in Bohemia. We cannot connect the picture with a specific locality. The picturesque motif is rendered solely with the resources of painting, masterly brushwork and the use of subtle colour schemes.