Lake Lucerne c. 18th century

Editor: This is Salomon Gessner's "Lake Lucerne," an etching done sometime in the 18th century, and it strikes me as a very deliberately constructed scene. What can you tell us about the social context of landscapes like this? Curator: Well, consider the rise of Romanticism. Gessner is offering viewers a picturesque vision, carefully mediated. What’s included, and perhaps more importantly, what's left out? Do you notice anything missing in the depiction of the people or the society in the landscape? Editor: I see people, but they appear somewhat generic, not like real portraits. It feels idealized. Curator: Exactly. Gessner provides an experience of sublime nature, but it’s also about power. These idyllic scenes often served to reinforce social hierarchies; nature as something to be viewed and appreciated, primarily by a specific class. Editor: So, it’s not just a pretty picture, it’s a statement about society and who gets to enjoy this view. Thanks, I see it differently now. Curator: And that's the power of looking closely and questioning whose story is being told, and for whom.