View of a River in an Evergreen Forest c. 19th century

Editor: This is Alexandre Calame's "View of a River in an Evergreen Forest," currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. I'm struck by how this small, almost intimate, scene seems to capture a vast, untouched wilderness. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, consider the historical context. Calame painted this during a rise in European national romanticism. Landscapes became less about topography and more about national identity, and a symbol of cultural pride. Do you see how the untouched forest might represent this? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way! So, it’s not just a pretty picture, but a statement about Swiss identity. Curator: Precisely. It’s fascinating how artists use natural landscapes to evoke political and cultural ideas. Editor: It really changes how I look at the image. Thanks for illuminating the historical currents beneath the surface!