Dimensions 86.0 x 137.5 cm
Giovanni Segantini painted this Alpine Landscape at Sunset, using oil on canvas. It invites us to consider the evolving role of landscape painting in the late 19th century. Segantini was working in an era where traditional academic styles were being challenged by new artistic movements. The late 19th century was a period of rapid social change, industrialization, and urbanization. Many artists turned to nature, seeking solace and authenticity away from the changing social landscape. The level of detail and naturalism suggests a culture of scientific observation and a growing appreciation for the environment, while the sunset evokes Romanticism and notions of the sublime. Segantini and his contemporaries were also aware of the burgeoning tourism industry. By exploring archival material and the social history of art, we can better understand how this painting reflects the tensions between tradition and modernity, nature and culture, that shaped artistic production.
Comments
Native painting or avant-garde? Or perhaps even both? Alongside Hodler and Kirchner, Segantini is considered to be the most important chronicler of life in the High Alps. He was raised in poverty and later celebrated for his sentimental depictions of farm life, in which he combined aspects of Realism and Symbolism. This painting is a smaller version of his unfinished chef d’oeuvre ‘Life, Nature and Death’. Depicting a herd of sheep in the Engadine Mountains being driven home in the evening, Segantini is addressing the harmony of man and nature.
Join the conversation
Join millions of artists and users on Artera today and experience the ultimate creative platform.
CollectMore like this
