Berglandschap met herten 1840 - 1870

Johannes Tavenraat made this Berglandschap met herten, or Mountainous landscape with deer, using pen and brown ink with brush in grey. Here, we're given a Romantic vision of nature, where the mountains loom large and the deer roam freely. It is a wilderness far from the concerns of urban life. But what does it mean to desire this kind of untouched landscape? For Tavenraat, painting in the 19th century, the landscape represented an idea of national identity and pride, rooted in the land itself. Yet, this idealized vision often overlooked the realities of land use and ownership, obscuring the labor and histories of those who lived and worked on the land. The emotional appeal of such landscapes is undeniable, but it also asks us to consider the stories they leave untold. It prompts us to reflect on how nature is framed and for whose benefit.