Bjerglandskab 1789

Christopher Friederich Köppen created this landscape etching, Bjerglandskab, whose date is unknown. The composition presents a contrast between the sublime and the pastoral. A towering rock face dominates the right side, achieved through dense, vertical lines that emphasize its mass and texture. To the left, Köppen uses finer, horizontal lines to depict a tranquil scene of a farm with figures and cattle. The artist’s strategic use of line directs our gaze from the imposing rock to the serene landscape. Semiotically, the rock could be a signifier of nature’s power, while the farm represents human domestication and harmony. This visual dichotomy plays with the 18th-century discourse on nature and culture. Notice how Köppen uses the etching technique to create variations in tone and depth. This formal choice underscores the philosophical tension between the wild and the cultivated. It challenges viewers to contemplate humanity's place within the broader natural order.