Unweit Visp in Wallis / Thomas Platters Geburts Ort 1799

Editor: Here we have Ludwig Hess's engraving from 1799, titled "Unweit Visp in Wallis / Thomas Platters Geburts Ort." It's a landscape scene and quite pastoral, but something about the way the light is handled makes it feel a little…staged? Almost like a theater backdrop. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: The staging you observe is interesting, and deeply intertwined with the cultural and social functions of landscape imagery at the close of the 18th century. Consider this engraving within the context of the rise of Neoclassicism, where idealized forms and scenes often served to promote national identities and moral virtues. Editor: I see. So the "stage" is more of a political stage? Curator: Precisely! How does this portrayal of a seemingly humble birthplace perhaps reinforce, or even invent, a specific narrative about Swiss identity? Note the picturesque arrangement of the scene: the idealized buildings, the balanced composition, the placement of figures seemingly at one with nature. What image of Switzerland do you think this print is attempting to project? Editor: I guess it’s promoting an image of simple, virtuous, rural life, in harmony with nature and steeped in history through the connection to Thomas Platter. It’s like saying, "This is the foundation of our greatness." Curator: Exactly. Think about the role that prints played in disseminating such ideas to a wider audience. These images, mass-produced, helped to shape perceptions and contribute to the construction of national identity, often through idealized and sometimes even fabricated representations. Editor: So it's not just about the beautiful landscape, but about using that landscape to build a national story? That changes everything. Thanks, I hadn’t thought of it that way! Curator: My pleasure! Art provides great insights into our world and history.