Bosgezicht met links een beek 1879

Alfred Elsen created this landscape with a stream to the left using etching. Born in the mid-19th century, Elsen came of age in a society undergoing significant transformation due to industrialization and urbanization. Elsen's choice to depict a forest landscape must be understood in the context of this era. The rising urban population faced increasing alienation from nature. Artists like Elsen offered viewers an escape, and a reminder of the beauty and tranquility of the natural world, untouched by industry. What does it mean to frame nature? Elsen's landscapes carry an emotional weight. While seemingly objective, his choice of composition, with its emphasis on detail and light, invites viewers to contemplate their own relationship with the environment. Is it possible that within this idealized space we might find a longing for a simpler existence? By immortalizing such scenes, Elsen subtly critiques the increasing dominance of urban life.