Studies van sparren 1813

Pieter Ernst Hendrik Praetorius made this study of fir trees with pen and brush, likely in the first half of the 19th century, in the Netherlands. It is a carefully observed study of trees, made at a time when landscape painting was becoming increasingly important. We might ask, what was the public role of art? In the 19th century, the art world was largely governed by academies, institutions whose values were quite conservative. Landscape was considered a lower form of art. Genre painting, portraits, landscapes, and still lifes became popular, and art was increasingly displayed in public museums and commercial galleries. The rise of the middle class in Europe helped to transform the art market and the kind of art being produced. Artists created images for a wider audience, which meant moving away from the strictures of history painting, an academic art that represented grand historical, religious, or mythological scenes. To understand art, we need to look at how these social conditions shape its production. Examining historical documents and institutional records can further illuminate the landscape of 19th-century Dutch art.