Title
Rohbock - Turnu Rosu, Rothenturm, Vöröstorony Pass- 1864
Description
Old steel engraving signed by Ludwig Rohbock and Adolph Fesca, included in the historic work ‘Ungarn und Siebenbürgen in malerischen Original-Ansichten’, published by Gustav Georg Lange (Darmstadt, 1863-1864) with accompanying texts by János Hunfalvy.
The engraving captures the building in Turnu Rosu Pass and people passing the bridge over Lotrioara.
Overview and Scene Composition
The engraving presents a picturesque, romanticized view of a mountain pass checkpoint in the mid-19th century, seamlessly blending human infrastructure with the imposing landscape of the Southern Carpathians.
The Foreground: A shallow, rocky riverbed (the Lotrioara stream) flows from the left toward the center. In the immediate foreground on the right bank, three head of cattle stand near the water.The Central Bridge: A prominent stone masonry bridge with two arches spans the stream, acting as the visual centerpiece. A lone figure on horseback is depicted crossing the top of the bridge.
The Architecture:
Right Side: A substantial, two-story whitewashed stone building stands at the foot of the bridge, likely serving as a customs house, guard station, or inn. It features a high, tiled roof, a prominent chimney, small windows, and a gated stone wall.
Left Side: Across the stream, another residential-style building with smoke rising from its chimney sits nestled against the tree line, alongside a smaller outbuilding or shed.
The Background: The background is dominated by towering, densely forested mountain ridges that rise steeply into a dramatic, cloud-filled sky. The mountains enclose the valley, creating a deep sense of a secluded frontier pass.
Text Inscriptions and Signatures
The margins of the print contain precise historical and publication details printed in fine typography: Bottom Left (Artist): L. Rohbock delint. (Drawn by Ludwig Rohbock) Bottom Right (Engraver): A. Fesca sculpt. (Engraved by Adolph Fesca) Bottom Center (Publisher): Druck & Verlag v. G. G. Lange in Darmstadt (Printed and Published by G. G. Lange in Darmstadt) Main Title (Bilingual): Hungarian: A VERESTORONY-SZOROS A LOTRIORA PATAKNÁL. German: ROTHER THURMPASS AM LOTRIORA-BACH.
Artistic Style and Execution
The print showcases exceptional technical mastery of steel engraving. Fine, dense cross-hatching is utilized to render the textures of the stone bridge, the leaves on the trees, and the rugged rock formations. The artist effectively uses a wide range of grayscale tones to create a strong atmospheric contrast between the darkly shaded foreground elements and the softly lit, misty peaks in the distance.
Date
1864 ( undated )
Dimension
Picture size approx.: 11 x 16 cm
Author:
Ludwig Rohbock (1824–1893) was a German artist, renowed for his detailed architectural and landscape depictions across Central Europe.
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