En stor rullesten 1842

Vilhelm Kyhn created this print of a large boulder in an overgrown landscape using etching. Kyhn was a Danish artist working in the mid-19th century, at a time when artists were looking to establish a distinctly Danish artistic identity. They turned away from grand historical themes and portraiture in favor of landscapes that captured the unique character of the Danish countryside. Artists and intellectuals formed associations and journals that debated what character was uniquely Danish. Kyhn's work participated in this nationalist project, but we should also remember that art institutions like the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts played a significant role. Kyhn was a professor there and contributed to shaping future generations of Danish artists. To understand Kyhn's landscapes, we can look at exhibition reviews, artists' journals, and the records of art academies. These sources help us to see how art is always entangled with social and institutional contexts.