View through the Trees at Tivoli [recto] 1848

Jasper Francis Cropsey made this pencil on paper drawing called 'View through the Trees at Tivoli' in the 19th century. Cropsey, as part of the Hudson River School, was deeply engaged with the American landscape, but also spent considerable time in Europe, particularly in Italy. This drawing provides a glimpse into the aesthetic values of the time, where the ‘picturesque’ and ‘sublime’ qualities of nature were highly appreciated. We see this in the way Cropsey frames the distant architecture through the natural elements of trees and foliage. Consider the cultural context: As industrialization progressed, the landscape became a site of both inspiration and anxiety. Artists like Cropsey offered viewers a romanticized vision of nature, a respite from the rapidly changing world. How does Cropsey's work reflect a longing for an idealized past, or perhaps a commentary on the impact of progress on the natural world?