Studio af sneklædte alpetoppe i midten Mont Blanc. 1777 - 1779

Jens Juel made this quick study of the snowy Alps, including Mont Blanc, using pencil on paper. It reflects a growing fascination with landscape and nature during the late 18th century. Juel, a leading portraitist in Denmark, may have created this sketch during his travels. The Alps, with their sublime and imposing qualities, became a popular subject for artists exploring new aesthetic and emotional territories. The sketch reduces the scene to a few lines capturing a sense of the vastness and grandeur of nature. But consider what it meant to represent Mont Blanc, a symbol of untamed nature, at a time when Europe was rapidly industrializing and urbanizing. How did institutions such as art academies shape artistic taste and promote certain kinds of landscape imagery? By consulting travel accounts, scientific writings, and exhibition records from the period, we can better understand the cultural meanings and social contexts that shaped the production and reception of such images.