Dahl was the first artist to discover the scenic and artistic possibilities of the Norwegian landscape, and is considered the father of Norwegian landscape painting. For this painting, Dahl included elements typically associated with Norway’s topography, including rocky massifs, pine forests, and rushing rivers. Modestly scaled man-made structures like the cottage at the foot of the mountain and the castle at its summit serve to heighten the grandeur of the landscape. Dahl's artistic talents are on full display in this painting, notable both for the close attention paid to the tiniest detail, and his skill in capturing the complex effects of light and shadow. He made this painting shortly after his arrival in Dresden, Germany, and designed it to impress his teacher, Caspar David Friedrich. Recent conservation of this picture was made possible by a generous contribution from an anonymous patron through the Adopt-a-Painting program.