Channel of Lake Albano 1824

Ernst Fries created this watercolor painting titled, "Channel of Lake Albano". Fries, a German artist, was working in the early 19th century, a time when the aesthetic and the sublime in nature were central to the Romantic movement. Here, Fries captures the Italian landscape. But I wonder, who is invited to enjoy this landscape, and who is excluded? The painting evokes a sense of tranquility but also invites us to reflect on the historical context in which such idyllic scenes were produced. Were they places of leisure for some, made possible by the labor and exclusion of others? Consider the power dynamics inherent in landscape art. While it offers an escape into nature, it often obscures the social realities that shape our relationship with the environment. Through Fries's intimate portrayal, we might contemplate not only the beauty of the landscape but also the stories it conceals.