Ödenwinklkees with the Johannisberg 

Edward Theodore Compton painted this watercolor of "Ödenwinklkees with the Johannisberg" during a time when the Alps were being heavily romanticized. The image creates meaning through the visual codes of sublime landscape painting, a genre that invited viewers to contemplate the power of nature. Compton was German-English, and his work often catered to British tourists eager to experience the majesty of the continent. The Alps, with their dramatic peaks and glaciers, became symbols of the untamed wilderness, even as they were being reshaped by the burgeoning tourist industry. The figures on the path remind us of the growing popularity of mountaineering. To understand this work better, we can research the history of tourism in the Alps, the development of mountaineering as a sport, and the artistic conventions of landscape painting in the late 19th century. These resources help us see how Compton’s art was both a reflection of and a contributor to the cultural values of his time.