Mountain landscape with river valley 

"Mountain landscape with river valley" was made by Franz Kobell. The sepia drawing is of an idealized landscape typical of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. During this period, the experience of nature became intrinsically linked to notions of the sublime. In Kobell's composition, nature appears untamed, yet it's carefully arranged, inviting contemplation. The figures in the foreground are dwarfed by the immensity of the landscape, a common trope used to evoke feelings of awe and insignificance in the face of nature’s grandeur. Simultaneously, the drawing reflects a time when land ownership and its aesthetic representation were markers of social status. The detailed rendering and sepia tones evoke a sense of nostalgia, reminiscent of the Grand Tour and the era's fascination with classical landscapes. Kobell’s work invites us to reflect on our relationship with nature, power, and the romanticized visions of the past.