Heuernte bei drohendem Gewitter (Studie)

Executed en plein air, the study reflects Koller’s realist approach rooted in the Düsseldorf school, where careful observation of light and atmosphere is paramount. The oil medium allows subtle gradations of tone, rendering the texture of hay, the sheen of the horse’s coat, and the brooding sky with a naturalistic fidelity.

Created early in Koller's career, the work entered the collection of the Kunsthaus Zürich, where it remains part of the museum’s holdings of 19th‑century Swiss painting. Its acquisition reflects the institution’s commitment to preserving examples of Swiss realism and the artist’s contribution to the period’s visual record.

During the mid‑1800s, Swiss artists like Koller were influenced by German academic training while also embracing direct observation of the countryside. This study illustrates that synthesis, combining academic compositional rigor with the immediacy of outdoor sketching, a practice common among artists associated with the Düsseldorf school.