Die Traun bei Ischl 1835

Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller painted "Die Traun bei Ischl", an idyllic landscape, some time during the first half of the 19th century. Waldmüller was an Austrian painter known for his Biedermeier style, capturing realistic and often sentimental scenes of everyday life. In this landscape we see the picturesque town of Ischl in Austria, nestled beside the Traun River. The painting presents an idealized version of the Austrian countryside, in a manner that promoted a sense of national identity rooted in the beauty and simplicity of rural life. But such an image begs the question: who has access to such beauty? Who gets to claim this idyll as part of their national identity? It seems to me that the artist has, perhaps unwittingly, created a landscape of longing and belonging that, like all such images, is as much about who is included as who is excluded. Waldmüller’s idyllic paintings served as a reflection of the social and cultural values of his time. They prompt us to consider how landscapes play a role in shaping collective identity, and in defining the boundaries of belonging.