Wild Geese 1898

Bruno Liljefors painted ‘Wild Geese’ in Sweden at the height of his career, sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century. Liljefors was a passionate advocate for wildlife preservation and believed that art could play a crucial public role in raising awareness. His paintings often depicted animals in their natural habitats and he used a range of visual techniques to create a sense of realism and immediacy. This particular painting portrays a flock of geese in a coastal landscape, taking flight at sunset. Liljefors’s art reflected a growing interest in naturalism and environmentalism that was beginning to emerge in Sweden at the time. His work was part of a larger cultural shift towards a greater appreciation of nature and a recognition of the need to protect it. To fully understand the meaning of Liljefors’s work we might consult historical records and documents about his life, writings, and the social and cultural contexts in which he worked. The art historian's role is to interpret art as a reflection of its time.