Entrance to the Baumannshöhle in the Harz Mountains 1810

Editor: This is Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg's "Entrance to the Baumannshöhle in the Harz Mountains". It's a beautiful drawing, very romantic, but also a bit ominous. What symbols do you see here? Curator: The cave opening is a potent symbol, evoking mystery and the unknown depths of the earth. Caves are often associated with both refuge and danger, the womb and the grave. Editor: So, the cave represents the psychological landscape? Curator: Precisely. It’s also interesting to consider what it meant to depict nature in this way at this time. How do you think this imagery contributes to the cultural memory of landscape? Editor: It presents the landscape as something to be explored, but also to be wary of, I suppose. Thank you. Curator: An evocative reminder of the enduring power of symbols.