Berk in een rotslandschap 1828

This print of a birch tree in a rocky landscape was made by Jules Coignet, sometime in the first half of the 19th century. Coignet was French and trained in the academic tradition, but here he is working in a very different mode. The image conveys meaning through its close observation of nature. You'll notice that the trees in this scene are not generic, idealized trees, but particular specimens, carefully observed and recorded. This emphasis on empirical observation and accuracy reflects the growing importance of science and natural history during this period. It also speaks to a changing attitude towards nature, one that valued direct experience and personal connection. To understand such an image more fully, we might look at the writings of naturalists and landscape theorists. We can use these resources to better understand the cultural values and beliefs that shaped artistic production in 19th-century France.