Study of Trees in the Alps 1850

Knud Baade made this painting, Study of Trees in the Alps, in Norway, during a period when national identity was being constructed through folklore, language, and landscape. Notice how the scene emphasizes the ruggedness and grandeur of the Norwegian landscape. Baade made this painting during the 19th century, when Romanticism was the dominant movement. This movement idealized nature, emphasizing the emotional experience of encountering wild landscapes. Artists would often make studies like this in order to better represent nature in their more elaborate history paintings. These paintings played an important role in creating a shared sense of cultural identity. The National Gallery, where this painting is housed, was founded in 1837, as an institution devoted to defining a common cultural heritage. To understand the role of art in shaping national identity, we can look at the artist’s biography, the history of the gallery and the cultural context of the artwork. The meaning of art is contingent on its social and institutional context.