The Sabine Hills and Rocca Santo Stefano Seen from Civitella 1835

Ludwig Deurer created this landscape with watercolor on paper, and in it we see the Sabine Hills and Rocca Santo Stefano, viewed from Civitella. Born in 1806, Deurer lived in a time when the representation of landscapes went hand in hand with nationalist sentiments. The sweeping vistas of the Sabine Hills, located northeast of Rome, carry centuries of history. For someone like Deurer, coming from outside Italy, painting the Italian landscape was a way of connecting with its rich cultural heritage, and maybe even participating in the romanticized vision of Italy as the cradle of Western civilization. The light and airy quality of the watercolor gives the landscape a serene and timeless feel. Yet, this idealized view can also obscure the complex social and economic realities of the people who lived in these lands.