Zicht op de rotsen bij Randa 1841

Alexandre Calame made this print, 'View of the rocks near Randa', in the mid-19th century. It depicts travelers crossing a lake overlooked by monumental cliffs. It speaks to the Romanticism of the time, where nature was seen as sublime, powerful, and a place of spiritual experience. This image creates meaning through visual codes that would have resonated with its contemporary audience. Switzerland, where Calame was from, was becoming a popular tourist destination. The image is infused with the national pride that followed the 1815 declaration of Swiss neutrality and the growth of a national identity. The composition evokes ideas of the picturesque and the sublime, drawing on a tradition of landscape painting that was popular across Europe. The travelers in the foreground add a human element, emphasizing the relationship between humanity and nature. To understand this work better, we can look into travelogues, guidebooks, and other printed material of the time to explore the cultural and institutional forces that shaped its production and reception.