Alpenhotel, im Hintergrund der Gamskarkogel 

Emil Ludwig Löhr made this drawing of the Alpenhotel with the Gamskarkogel in the background. The hotel sits squarely in the center of the image, a testament to the growing tourism industry within the Austrian Alps, likely in the mid-19th century. Löhr's choice of subject matter reflects a shift in cultural attitudes, a growing appreciation for natural landscapes, and an emerging leisure class seeking escape from urban life. The Gamskarkogel Mountain looms in the background, dwarfing the hotel. While nature's grandeur is in full evidence here, this image is equally interested in mankind's influence on the natural world. The rise of hotels and resorts like the one in the drawing brought wealth and development to rural communities but also altered the landscape and traditional ways of life. Understanding the history of tourism, urbanization, and landscape painting provides a richer interpretation of this seemingly simple drawing. Art history is about uncovering the layers of meaning embedded within an image, revealing its connections to broader social and institutional contexts.