Tree 

Johann Friedrich Morgenstern created this watercolor and graphite drawing of a tree in Frankfurt. Morgenstern, a landscape painter, lived during the tumultuous years of the Napoleonic Wars and the rise of Romanticism. The Romantic movement emphasized emotion, nature, and the individual, often in response to the Enlightenment’s focus on reason. Look closely at how Morgenstern renders the tree. It’s not idealized; it’s a broken stump, textured with moss and decay. This depiction moves away from traditional, picturesque landscapes to embrace a more visceral, emotional connection to nature. The artist seems interested in the tree’s vulnerability and resilience. In a world undergoing rapid change, the tree becomes a symbol of endurance and the passage of time. Perhaps Morgenstern saw in nature a reflection of the human condition, marked by both beauty and decay.