Gezicht op slot Hohenschwangau met links de Alpsee en rechts de Schwansee 1901

This anonymous print presents a 'View of Hohenschwangau Castle,' capturing Alpsee and Schwansee Lakes. The artist, playing with monochromatic tones, seems to relish in the textures of the landscape. Look at the way the mountains in the distance fade into the sky, almost dissolving, while the closer trees are dense and solid. It makes me think about how we see – how our eyes prioritize what’s nearby, while the far-off stuff becomes more of an idea than something real. It's like the difference between knowing something in your head and feeling it in your gut. In terms of how it relates to art as a conversation, it brings to mind the landscapes of Caspar David Friedrich, who also knew how to turn nature into a mirror for our inner selves. Both artists remind us that looking at art, or a view, is never just about what’s out there, but also about what’s inside us.