Schets van een berglandschap Monte Generoso 1868 - 1928

Jan Toorop created this sketch of a mountain landscape, Monte Generoso, with pen in the late 19th or early 20th century. This drawing presents a panorama of mountain ranges, evoking ideas of the sublime that were circulating in the Western imagination at the time. The sketch was made during a period when artists began to venture outdoors to directly capture the essence of nature. In terms of institutional history, it is interesting to note that landscape art began to gain prominence in art academies and public exhibitions during the 19th century. This shift reflected changing social values, where nature was no longer seen merely as a backdrop but as a subject worthy of artistic exploration in its own right. The art historian plays a crucial role in connecting this sketch to the broader cultural, institutional, and social contexts of its time, drawing on sources such as exhibition catalogues, artists’ biographies, and writings on aesthetics to understand the place of landscape in the public role of art.