Landschap met een waterval en vier lopende figuren 1713 - 1768

Johann Caspar Ulinger created this landscape with a waterfall and four walking figures as an etching, likely in Switzerland during the mid-18th century. At this time, the cultural elite, inspired by the writings of Rousseau and others, were developing a taste for the sublime aspects of nature, but this image may also reflect the economic realities of the period. The figures seem to be working or in transit, perhaps traveling between villages or farms. The image is not a straightforward depiction of nature, but rather, a commentary on the relationship between humans and their environment. To fully understand this work, we need to investigate the visual culture of 18th-century Switzerland, its economic systems, and the ways in which artists like Ulinger were responding to changing social and economic conditions. By exploring these contexts, we can gain a deeper appreciation of the complex meanings embedded in this seemingly simple landscape.