Stag and Animal at the Watering Place

While the deer quenched his thirst undisturbed, the deer is startled and looks alertly out of the picture on something that remains unknown to the viewer. The painting thus derives its special effect, for in the mighty silence and tranquility of the landscape an element of unrest and danger breaks.

The deer raises his antlers, ready to defend. It clearly stands out in its winding and sharp contour from the flat, gray rock behind it, which is partially covered by soft moss. In the background, a huge rock mountain towers above the peaceful scene on the water. The mountains still protrude beyond, with snow remains in the shadow area of the peaks. Some coniferous trees assert themselves on the left side of the picture and a sparse tree pushes up from the rock in the middle of the picture and dominates the painting vertically. He still seems to tower over the massif, which gives the vegetative life a counterbalance to the otherwise massive and overwhelming mountain landscape.

The light falls gently from the other side of the mountains into the valley and is reflected in the water, so that the animals are sheltered despite imminent danger and overpowering environment in a light security.

The Austrian painter Friedrich Gauermann shows his great talent for drawing here. The fineness of the color scheme in the close-lying charging brown and gray tones, complemented by dark green and silver-gold light, is masterful.