Delaware Trout Fishing 

Hermann Ottomar Herzog, a German artist, painted this landscape, ‘Delaware Trout Fishing,’ during a time when the Hudson River School was popular in the United States. This movement focused on the beauty of the American landscape, often portraying it as pristine and untouched. Herzog’s painting follows this tradition, but there is a small figure of a boy fishing that provides a different perspective. During this time, the idea of the ‘American Dream’ was gaining traction, promising opportunity and prosperity to all, yet this promise was often limited by race, class, and gender. Consider how the simple act of fishing connects the boy to the land and its resources, but also might represent an economic activity vital for survival. The painting invites us to reflect on the complex relationship between people and the environment, and who has access to its bounty. The emotional resonance lies in the quiet simplicity of the scene, juxtaposed with the larger social narratives of access and opportunity.