Zerborstene Baumstämme in einer Felsschlucht mit Wasserfall, davor ein rastender Wanderer 

Franz Kobell made this drawing, "Shattered Trunks in a Rocky Gorge with Waterfall, with a Resting Hiker in Front," sometime between the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Kobell situates us within the Romantic era when nature was seen as sublime and overwhelming. Yet, there’s more than just admiration at play here. The broken trees evoke a sense of loss, perhaps mirroring the socio-political upheavals of the time. As we consider who gets to experience such sublime moments, notice the lone hiker. Is he a figure of leisure, able to wander and contemplate? His presence raises questions of privilege and access. How do class and social standing mediate our encounters with the natural world? This drawing reminds us that even in the most awe-inspiring landscapes, there's always a human story, shaped by the forces of society and history.