Rinder auf dem Campo Vaccino in Rom 1845

Johann Nepomuk Rauch created this watercolor work, "Cattle in the Campo Vaccino in Rome," now at the Städel Museum, to capture a scene of the Roman Campagna. During the 19th century, the image of the Italian countryside, dotted with ancient ruins and grazing animals, served as a powerful symbol of pastoral beauty. These idyllic representations masked the social and economic realities of rural life, often romanticizing the labor and struggles of the peasant classes who worked the land. Rauch was a well-regarded animal painter. Looking at the image, we can see Rauch's careful attention to the textures and forms of the cattle, portraying them as symbols of a harmonious relationship between humans and nature. But we might also consider how these images participated in constructing a particular vision of Italy for consumption by a largely urban, and often foreign, audience. "Cattle in the Campo Vaccino in Rome" invites us to reflect on the complex interplay between art, representation, and the construction of cultural identity.