Have you ever considered taking up painting as a hobby? What would inspire you?
How about hiking through the Austrian Alps and northern Italy?
That's exactly what awoke a desire to put brush to paper for 19th-century Austrian watercolor artist Rudolf von Alt.
The Dachstein from Vorderer Gosausee by Rudolf von Alt, 1838A view of Vienna from the Prater with figures in the foreground by Rudolf von Alt, 1834
A trip to Italy might also work wonders for your creativity.
Von Alt completed a number of paintings featuring the glorious architecture of European cities.
Figures on the Riva degli Schiavone by Rudolf von Alt, 1840The Pantheon and Piazza della Rotonda in Rome by Rudolf von Al, 1835St. Peter's from the Vatican Garden by Rudolf von Alt, 1838View of Naples by Rudolf von Alt, c1870The Stephansdom from Stock im Eisen Platz by Rudolf Ritter von Alt, 1832The Cathedral Square in Cattaro by Rudolf von Alt, 1841Josefsplatz in Vienna by Rudolf von Alt, 1831View of Budapest with Chain Bridge and the Royal Palace by Rudolf von Alt, 1880Overlooking the Charles Church and the Polytechnic Institute by Rudolf von Alt, 1843The Neue Markt (Mehlmarkt) by Rudolf von Alt, 1836The main square in Linz by Rudolf von Alt, 1839View of the Basilica San Antonio in Padua by Rudolf von Alt, 1836The Esplanade of Ischl by Rudolf von AltVienna, St. Michael the Hofburg and old Burgtheater by Rudolf von Alt, 1888Varenna at Lake Como by Rudolf von Alt, 1843The Lower Austrian Landhaus in Vienna from Minoritenplatz by Rudolf von Alt, 1845The Jägerzeile in Vienna by Rudolf von Alt, 1844The parish church in Ofen by Rudolf von Alt, 1845View of the Alservorstadt by Rudolf von Alt, 1872The Main Square in Bratislava by Rudolf von Alt, 1843Vienna, Freyung mit Austriabrunnen by Rudolf von Alt, 1847Street in Palermo by Rudolf von Alt, 1867The Tyn Church in Prague by Rudolf von Alt, 1843View of the Doge's Palace in Venice by Rudolf von Alt, 1874Bridge Tower Lesser Town in Prague by Rudolf von Alt, 1843
Painting interior views was also a much-admired skill of von Alt's, bringing him a lot of attention in Vienna.
BSalon of Princess Henriette Odescalchi Castle in Hirtenberg by Rudolf von Alt, 1853Staircase of the Upper Belvedere in Vienna by Rudolf von Alt, 1882The Japanese Salon, Villa Hügel, Hietzing, Vienna by Rudolf von Alt, 1855
