Waterfall 1842

Andreas Achenbach painted this landscape scene of a waterfall in the mid-19th century, using oil on canvas. The sublime power of nature was a preoccupation for artists during the Romantic movement. Yet, this image also speaks to the growing importance of museums and public art exhibitions at this time. Consider the way Achenbach has composed the image, using dramatic contrasts of light and shadow to convey the force of the water as it rushes over the rocks. The scene reflects a growing interest in landscape painting as a vehicle for national pride and identity. In Germany, artists turned to the natural world to evoke a sense of the nation's unique character. These images often carried associations with political and cultural unity. To fully understand the image, we might turn to the art criticism of the time, as well as travel writing and popular scientific accounts of the natural world. It is this kind of contextual research that helps us better understand the public role of art in the 19th century.