As a social media post in july 2024 indicated, the summer of 2024 was supposed to be a 'downhill run' through the borders of France, Luxembourg, and into Germany to follow the Moselle where it becomes the Mosel, but it seems not to be. Endless car trouble, and another period of very unstable weather yoyoing between heatwave, summer storms and a lot of grey days of heavy rain.
Not the kind of climate to be hiking and camping in...
Between art markets and other projects, l kept returning to the border - as if l could go no further ! - and discovered by foot the Dreieck ( Three Corners ) or Pays des Trois Frontières region. Contz-les-Bains from Rettel, the heights of Strombierg, Sierck-les-Bains, Schengen in Luxembourg and Perl on the german side of the river. In one of the afternoon visits l stepped through three countries !
From my sketchbooks and subsequent studio work ( watercolours, etchings and paintings ) here is a selection from a rich visual travelogue heading upstream...
Double page, Mosel sketchbook, 2024.
Cattenom sur la Moselle, aquarelle, 2024.
Vue depuis le haut du Stromberg / Strombierg, aquarelle 2024
Contz-les-Bains ou Rettel ? Monoprint / monotype 2024, 11 x 11 cm
Contz-les-Bains vue depuis le pont sur la Moselle
Schengen. Aquarelle 2024, & illustration 19th Century, Les Voies Naviguable de la Moselle.
Above : Sierck-les-Bains. Drawing and oil painting ( private collection, France )
Sketch from the Schengen Bridge, looking downstream twoards France and upstream into Germany.
...And so, after a visit around Perl at the german end of the Schengen bridge, back up and across to Luxembourg City. JMW Turner in 1824 - and then on subsequent tours - was as fascinated as l am by the capital of Luxembourg, the old town cut through by the Alzette river, an important tributary to the Mosel. A regular detour for me, as l regularly participate in Konscht am Gronn ( Art au Grund ) art markets on the Pont de l'Alzette, a picturesque and highly-touristic corner, with time to accumulate a number of sketches, watercolours and etchings.
So next post, still waiting for the german stagecoach ( or a new car !) ...Luxembourg.
WMS, july-august 2024.
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