Approaching Spring c. 1839

"Approaching Spring" is a 19th-century etching by Johann Wilhelm Schirmer, a German Romantic landscape painter. Created around 1839, the artwork depicts a serene woodland scene with a church in the distance, symbolizing the tranquility of nature and the arrival of spring. The print, now housed in the Art Institute of Chicago, masterfully captures the detail of trees and the natural light, exemplifying Schirmer's mastery of the Romantic style. The etching's soft, muted tones evoke a sense of peace and contemplation, characteristic of the 19th-century appreciation for the sublime in nature.