Omslag met serie landschappen 1838

This is the cover for Matthias Parré’s series of landscape studies, drawn from nature and printed in Amsterdam by G.L. Reinhold in 1850, a year after Parré’s death. During the 19th century, landscape art emerged not just as a depiction of scenery but as a powerful expression of national identity. Parré’s ‘Geldersche Landschap Studien’ captures more than just the physical attributes of the Gelderland region; it speaks to the cultural and historical connections between the people and their land. The Romantic era valued the emotional power of nature, and artists sought to capture the sublime, often finding spiritual or emotional resonance in the natural world. These landscape studies reflect a burgeoning sense of regional pride and cultural identity. Parré's work invites us to reflect on how landscapes shape who we are, and how we, in turn, shape them.