Halve boomstam en een stapel sprokkelhout in een bos in Marienbad 1869

Johannes Tavenraat made this study in watercolor and graphite of a forest scene in Marienbad in 1859. We see a tree trunk in the foreground that has been recently cut. In the background a deer stands motionless amongst the trees. This work reflects the cultural appreciation for the natural world that was emerging in the 19th century, and it would be fruitful to research the social context of Marienbad at this time. As a spa town, who was it that visited the forest surrounding the town? What was the culture of leisure that motivated a desire to experience the sublime beauty of the forest? How were those forests managed at this time? Was the felling of trees a contentious issue? As historians, it is through examining a range of sources that we can begin to understand more fully the social, cultural, and institutional contexts that motivated the production of art at this time.