Rugged rocky landscape 

Editor: So, this is Franz Kobell's "Rugged rocky landscape," an ink and pen drawing held here at the Städel Museum. It gives me a sort of awe-inspired, romantic feeling, especially with that solitary tree silhouetted against the lighter sky. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It’s interesting that you immediately feel a sense of awe. Looking at this through a historical lens, landscape art like this gained prominence during the Romantic period. It reflected a growing fascination with nature and wilderness, often serving as a backdrop for explorations of national identity. Where do you think this scene is? Editor: I am unsure. I feel a German or Austrian Romanticist vibe though? It makes me think of Caspar David Friedrich. Curator: Precisely! The Romantic artists aimed to capture the sublime power of nature and a deep-rooted sense of nationalism and cultural heritage that landscape evokes. Landscape in this period wasn't just about beautiful scenery. It played a part in forming collective memory and a shared sense of belonging for communities in newly forming nation states. Now, consider how museums showcase this type of work... Why do you think that is? Editor: Hmmm... Maybe because landscape connects to identity, so celebrating this is about asserting cultural value in a post-enlightenment Europe. Seeing it in a museum formalizes and legitimizes the connection between art, nature, and the collective? Curator: Exactly! And consider how these images also helped build those cultural narratives! Art can play a vital part in nation-building. What does seeing this work by Kobell tell us? Editor: Well, it shows the political power of the Romantics is still something with which we deal today. Curator: Indeed! Thank you, that was helpful for me as well.