View on Tivoli 1855

Alexander Gwinner made this pencil drawing entitled 'View on Tivoli' in 1855. It captures the Italian countryside, a popular destination for European artists and intellectuals during the 19th century. The image participates in a long tradition of landscape painting, particularly within the context of the Grand Tour. For centuries, the journey to Italy was considered essential for any artist's education. It was a rite of passage, a chance to study classical art and architecture firsthand. Gwinner's drawing, with its light touch and emphasis on the picturesque, reflects the aesthetic values of his time. This was a period when the art world was becoming more formalized, with academies and museums playing an increasingly important role in shaping artistic taste. To fully understand it, we might consider the cultural and institutional forces that shaped artistic production in 19th-century Europe.