Gezicht op Thusis 1824 - 1889

'Gezicht op Thusis' is an undated print by Heinrich Siegfried, a Swiss artist active in the 19th century. Prints like this one often served to document and disseminate images of landscapes, contributing to the era's growing sense of national and regional identity. We should consider, though, that Siegfried, a white man, was creating this image during a period of significant social and economic change in Switzerland, when traditional ways of life were being challenged. As such, it is important to examine how gender, race, and class influence the viewing and interpretation of landscape art such as this. How might the experience of viewing this landscape differ based on one's own social position and identity? Whose stories are being told and whose are being left out of the picture? As you consider these questions, I invite you to contemplate the layers of history, culture, and identity embedded within this seemingly serene image.