Waterfall in Småland 1856

Marcus Larson made this oil on canvas painting called "Waterfall in Småland" sometime in the mid-19th century. The sublime landscape touches on ideas of national identity in Sweden. The churning rapids take centre stage, embodying the raw power of untamed nature. Look at the imposing sky that looms overhead, the dark clouds casting a shadow on the scene. In its time, this painting spoke to the particular geography of Sweden, while the romantic style of the composition aligned with a broader European trend for landscape painting that was popularized by the academy. The Nationalmuseum, where it is housed, was founded in 1792, and it embodies Swedish cultural and artistic values. We can understand landscape painting as an idealization of nature, one that often glosses over the realities of a changing natural world and the effect of industrial development. Historians can look at the archives of institutions like the Nationalmuseum and the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts to better understand the social context that shaped this painting.