Eiffellandschaft 1937

Werner Peiner made this oil painting called "Eiffellandschaft," depicting a landscape under a stormy sky. The image resonates with ideas of homeland, a theme that was politically charged in Germany, particularly between the wars. The landscape genre, which often carries connotations of national identity, became fraught with new meanings. It’s difficult to ignore the context in which this painting was produced. Peiner was favored by the Nazi regime, who appointed him professor at the Düsseldorf Art Academy, before which he became head of the master studio for monumental painting at the renowned academy. The landscapes he produced were idealized visions of the German countryside, a vision that served the Nazi’s ideological agenda. Understanding such images demands rigorous research into the artist's career, his institutional affiliations, and the wider cultural politics of the time. Art history helps us understand how art is shaped by the social conditions of its making.