These are newer paintings in the Elbe River Series “Elbe River Bend from the Bastei” was recently juried into the Oil Painters of America Salon Show of Traditional Oils. The show will be held at Beverly McNeil Gallery in Birmingham, Alabama in October. For more specific information about each painting, see the text below the last image.
Vistas along the Elbe
Approaching Dresden from the Elbe River, I was able to take many photos from the ship deck when the rain lifted. As we glided by, I was able to take a few photos of the small houses, the church steeples, the turbulent water along the river’s edge and the remarkable light on the mountains. This painting is my impression of those vistas.
The Saxon Mountains and the Bastei
The Bastei is a rocky prominence overlooking the Elbe River; it is a landmark in a national park near Pirna southeast of Dresden. Our group hiked along the cliff paths in the park and walked across the sandstone bridge. The Saxon cliffs are over a 1,000 ft. above the river valley below. From high above the river, one has a majestic view. I took countless pictures of the rare rock formations, the valley village below, and the mesas in the distance. One of these photos, taken while the afternoon sun shone brightly, inspired “Elbe River Valley View from atop the Bastei.” Another photo taken somewhat later when the sun disappeared behind the clouds depicted the “Elbe River Bend from the Bastei.”
Meissen
Meissen, known for its porcelain, is a beautiful city with a historic Gothic castle, Albrechtsburg. Like so many of the old castles along the Elbe, Albrechtsburg sits high above the old city and towers over the river. But my photos of Albrechtsburg castle were not as engaging as one photo I had taken as the ship approached the city. In this image, church spires high above the river bank and a group of small homes nearer the bank beckon and prompted “Meissen Spires.”
Dresden
Approaching Dresden, I took many photos along the banks of the Elbe. One in particular caught my eye with the old stone trestle and a modern steel bridge in the distance; this photo became “Bridges Approaching Dresden.”