Kale boom in Berg en Dal bij Kleef 1843

This graphite drawing of a bare tree branch in Berg en Dal, near Kleef, was made in 1843 by Johannes Tavenraat. In the Netherlands, the 19th century was a time of nation-building. Following the Napoleonic era, there was a strong interest in local landscapes, history, and folklore as a means of defining Dutch identity. Considered in that context, Tavenraat’s close study of nature invites us to think about the relationship between art, national identity, and the rise of landscape painting as a popular genre. Was this drawing intended as a preparatory study for a larger painting? Did the artist make it for his own interest and pleasure? To answer these questions we need to consult letters, diaries, and exhibition records to better understand the artist’s motivations and the public role of art in the Netherlands at this time. The meaning of art changes depending on its social and institutional context.