Solnedgang i en skov 1885

Vilhelm Kyhn created this print, *Sunset in a Forest*, using etching. Kyhn was working in Denmark during a period of increasing national self-consciousness, and this comes through in his detailed rendering of the natural landscape. The image suggests a quiet, untouched corner of the Danish countryside, a place of contemplation away from the pressures of modern life. We see a stream or a lake, a small bridge, and trees rendered with great attention to detail. Consider how Kyhn’s art supported a burgeoning national identity during a time of political and social change. Scholars interested in the relationship between art and national identity might consider his training at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, the influence of Romanticism, and the growing middle-class audience for landscape painting. These are key factors that can illuminate the historical and cultural context of this image.