Strandparti 1780

"Strandparti" is an etching by Johan Bülow, and a glimpse into the artist's world, dating back to the late 18th or early 19th century. Bülow, who lived through a period of significant social and political change in Denmark, presents a landscape seemingly untouched by the turmoil of revolution and reform sweeping across Europe. The scene is a quiet, rural idyll of a path, a distant church, a pastoral harmony that speaks volumes about the values and perhaps the sheltered existence of the Danish elite during this era. As we consider Bülow's work, think about how landscapes often reflect a sense of national identity, and who gets to define and access that identity. This piece invites us to consider the relationship between representation, power, and the quiet assertion of cultural values in a time of upheaval. It is a landscape of belonging, but one wonders, belonging to whom?