Summer snow in the Tatras 1934

Ľudovít Čordák created this oil on canvas painting titled "Summer Snow in the Tatras" during his time in Slovakia. This landscape captures the sublime beauty of the Tatra Mountains, an area that was becoming increasingly accessible to tourists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Čordák’s naturalistic style, influenced by impressionism, emphasizes the unspoiled majesty of the Slovakian countryside. The development of tourism in the Tatras was supported by various groups within Slovakian society. These groups saw tourism as a way to develop the local economy, promote national identity, and preserve the natural beauty of the region. By painting these kinds of landscapes, artists like Čordák participated in this movement, creating powerful images that contributed to the sense of a unique Slovakian homeland. Art historians can use the records of tourism organizations, railway companies, and local governments to better understand the social and economic context that shaped the production of this painting. In this way, we come to understand the public role of art, and the politics of imagery.