This original pencil drawing artwork is inspired by one of the timeless views of Salzburg, Austria. A winding path leads towards the castle, opening out across the city's rooftops and church towers towards the lower mountains beyond.

I first discovered this view on a crisp autumn day, but as I looked at the scene I could imagine it transformed by winter. Falling snow, perhaps even a full blizzard, seemed to suit the timeless quality of the setting perfectly. In my imagination, I pictured Mozart, Salzburg's most famous son, trudging through the thick snow as the wind whipped the flakes around him.

As with many of my drawings, I have taken a little artistic licence. I moved the castle slightly and introduced the distinctive peak of Watzmann shining through a break in the clouds. Watzmann is actually seen from nearby Berchtesgaden in Germany rather than from this particular Salzburg viewpoint, but it helped create the dramatic winter scene I had in mind.

Pure fantasy, certainly, but the drawing captures what I feel is the essence of Salzburg in winter – its historic rooftops, church towers and castle emerging through a cold, atmospheric snowfall.

Subject: Salzburg in snow, Austria

Medium: Graphite Pencil

Paper: Acid-free cartridge paper

Image size: 21x16"

Framed: No

Original: Yes

Certificate of Authentication: Yes

Artist: Graham McKenzie-Smith