A Mountain Stream 

Hermann Ottomar Herzog created this landscape painting called, ‘A Mountain Stream’ sometime during his lifetime, which spanned nearly a century. Herzog was a prolific landscape painter who traveled extensively throughout Europe and the Americas in search of awe-inspiring views. He presents the mountain stream from a low vantage point, as if we ourselves are standing at the edge of the water. His landscapes were created in the midst of rapid industrialization, and during a period where artists sought to capture a sense of sublime grandeur in the natural world, as well as a spiritual refuge from the social and environmental changes of the era. By analyzing the social and cultural context of 19th century landscape painting, using sources such as exhibition reviews, travel guides, and the artist’s personal letters, we can gain a richer understanding of how the image and its meaning was shaped in its own time.