An einer Waldlichrung ein Mädchen mit einem Korb bei einem Hund sitzend 

Leendert Overbeek made this drawing of a girl with a basket and a dog sitting by a forest clearing using pen and gray ink in the late 18th century. The Romantic era witnessed a growing appreciation for nature and a shift towards individual experience. Made in Germany, the lush forest setting connects with the German artistic tradition which uses landscape to evoke emotion. The girl with her dog are not the focal point of the picture. Rather they become a part of the natural landscape. It is important to remember that this drawing was made at the height of the Enlightenment when many sought refuge in the natural world, perhaps as a form of escape from industrialization. Close examination of the archives from the Städel Museum might reveal how this artwork was received by its early audiences and how it contributed to the artistic discourses of its time. The true meaning of art only becomes clear when we see it in its historical context.