A Conversation for Art History 101: Quick Thinking, Slow Painting

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Post 1

Caiman raptor elk - Inside big box, thinking.


Just checked. Schloss Hartenfels (Torgau, Germany) is still there, pretty much looking like it did in 1540. The foresty stream in the picture is gone. There are remains of a four-pointed half-star battlement, which might have actually been built after 1540, approximately at the location of the painting. Looking at wildlife: It appears that the Castle still has three actual bears in the bear pit. They started the bear thing in 1425, but I suppose those are not the same ones.
Just after this painting was made, they built the first chapel based on Protestant principles (1543-1544), dedicated by Martin Luther himself.


Something changed

Post 2

Caiman raptor elk - Inside big box, thinking.


Correction, that stream might actually depict the not yet canalised river Elbe. Looking at the castle in the painting, I realised it was made from the South East side rather than the North East side. There's pretty much evidence of earlier riverbeds in that area.


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