Gebirgslandschaft, rechts vorne ein großer Baum 

Carl Friedrich von Rumohr made this landscape drawing with pen and ink. It reflects a growing interest in direct observation that emerged in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The detailed rendering of the tree in the foreground suggests a scientific sensibility influenced by contemporary developments in the natural sciences. Germany, at this time, lacked centralized artistic institutions. Artists like Rumohr often played multiple roles, acting as critics, collectors, and patrons, thereby shaping the artistic landscape. Rumohr’s focus on landscape also reflects a broader cultural preoccupation with nature as a source of national identity and spiritual renewal. The representation of nature invites us to consider the social and cultural values that shaped its production and reception. To fully understand this work, we can explore the writings of the artist, exhibition records, and the critical reception of his art in the context of German Romanticism. Art is deeply embedded in its social and institutional circumstances.