Prater Landscape 1888

Tina Blau painted this landscape of the Prater, a large public park in Vienna, Austria, at the end of the 19th century. Its loose brushwork and plein air style reflect the influence of French Impressionism, but its subject speaks to the social and cultural life of Vienna. The Prater was a popular leisure destination for all social classes, and paintings of it often served as symbolic representations of Viennese society. Blau's painting doesn't depict a crowd, but instead focuses on the natural landscape, and this reflects a growing interest in nature and outdoor recreation among the urban population, an escape from the rapidly industrializing and modernizing city. Blau herself was a pioneering artist who challenged the male-dominated art world of Vienna. Her choice of subject matter and her modern style reflect her progressive views. To understand Blau's Prater Landscape more fully, we can consult period guidebooks, newspapers, and social histories of Vienna to understand the park’s role in the city's cultural life, and to appreciate Blau's contribution to Austrian art.