Like all professional artists, Max makes a lot of sketches. In this one, he tries to tackle the problem of all that green. He must have liked the result because he signed it in the lower right.
In dry, hot days like these in the Midwest, it’s good to remember that winter will indeed return. If you live in a climate with four seasons, you know that snow is every color but white. The yellow light in this painting tells us just what kind of day it is. The snow is heavy and the air is wet. Another snow shower is on its way.
Max Ranft has used the Graue Mill as the setting for a number of paintings. He adjusted the landscape components to fit his composition. The painting above includes the addition of a boat and three men. In the painting below, the river is broad and prominent. Notice that the mill is three stories high. Both were painted in the 1990s and are privately owned.