Landskab 1751 - 1828

Johan Bülow created this landscape as a small etching. Its imagined scene presents a crumbling tower and a distant mountain, but it's the shepherd and grazing sheep that invite reflection on the social structures of late 18th-century Denmark. The print’s vision of nature isn't simply a neutral backdrop. The romanticizing of rural life was very popular at that time. As cities grew, there was a nostalgic longing for a simpler, perhaps idealized, past. Bülow's choice of subject matter taps into this sentiment, reflecting a broader cultural conversation about the value of rural life versus urban existence. Consider how landscapes often served as vehicles for conveying moral or political messages. Was it self-consciously conservative or progressive? To fully understand Bülow’s Landskab, we delve into archives, letters, and period writings. These resources help us understand the role of art in shaping societal views and in reflecting the complex relationship between people and the world around them.