This late 19th-century oil painting by German artist Ludwig Friedrich Hofelich (1842-1903) depicts a landscape with pond, figure and distant view.Mankind’s intrinsic bond with nature is no better conveyed than through the medium of fine art. And in the case of Ludwig Friedrich Hofelich, working among the wilds, valleys and heaths meant more to him than most and possibly saved his life.During the early part of his career, Hofelich was a workaholic, burning the candle at both ends - studying music and art in tandem and seeking to rank among the highest echelons for both. His irrepressible drive took him first to the prestigious academy in St Petersburg and then Dresden and Berlin. He worked tirelessly, hiring a piano and studying through the night to hone his multi-discipline crafts.It brought rewards but equally suffering as he was soon blighted by a ‘violent nerve fever’, which he carried with him for the remainder of his life. Initially, he specialised in figure painting b...