Winona Falls 1877

Hermann Ottomar Herzog created 'Winona Falls' with oil on canvas, a common combination during the nineteenth century. Herzog applied the paint with brushes, building up layers to create a convincing illusion of depth and texture, mimicking the natural world. It is an approach very typical of landscape painting at the time. But consider: this wasn’t ‘just’ representation. Herzog’s painting also testifies to the rapid industrialization of the era. Landscapes like this one were prized, by an emerging urban middle class, precisely because they seemed untouched by modernity. It took a lot of labor to create these canvases, from mining the pigments, to weaving the cloth, to stretching it over a wooden frame. And the finished product was destined to be purchased by someone who had also likely labored hard, or else profited from the labor of others. So next time you see an image of pristine nature, remember: it probably has a complex social history.