Forest c. 19th century

Editor: This is "Forest" by Friedrich Julius Umbach, a landscape drawing from the Harvard Art Museums. The detail is incredible! What sociopolitical messages do you think Umbach may have been conveying in his landscape art? Curator: I think Umbach is consciously positioning the forest as a space imbued with meaning beyond the purely aesthetic. How does the romanticization of nature, particularly German forests, relate to the rise of nationalism and ideas of cultural identity in his historical moment? Editor: So, by depicting the forest, he's engaging with ideas about German identity? Curator: Exactly. And consider who has access to these spaces, both in the past and today. Are these landscapes truly open to everyone, or are there hidden barriers related to class, race, and ability? Editor: That’s a good question. It makes me think differently about landscape art. Curator: It’s a great reminder to examine not just what is shown, but also what is excluded, and why.