Premazzi, Luigi – The barn and outbuildings in Murino. Sketch Hermitage ~ part 10

Here we observe a sketch depicting rural architecture, likely agricultural buildings situated within a snowy landscape. The composition is dominated by a substantial wooden structure – a barn or outbuilding – characterized by its steeply pitched roof and roughly hewn timber construction. Adjacent to this primary building are smaller, similarly constructed extensions, suggesting an interconnected complex of farm structures.
The artist employed a technique that emphasizes the textural qualities of the wood; individual planks and beams are delineated with varying degrees of pressure, creating a sense of depth and materiality. The snow-covered ground is rendered through short, quick strokes, conveying both its flatness and the way it accumulates against the base of the buildings. A sparse scattering of trees appears in the background, their forms simplified to suggest distance and atmospheric perspective.
The sketch’s immediacy is striking; it feels less like a finished work and more like a rapid observation recorded on site. The lines are loose and expressive, capturing not just the appearance of the structures but also an impression of their solidity and age. Theres a certain austerity to the scene – the lack of human presence and the starkness of the winter setting contribute to a mood of quiet solitude.
The inscription at the bottom right indicates the location (Murino) and date (1869), providing contextual information that anchors the work in a specific time and place. This detail suggests an interest in documenting vernacular architecture, perhaps as part of a broader survey or study of regional building traditions. The sketch’s value lies not only in its depiction of physical structures but also in its ability to evoke a sense of rural life and the passage of time.