Gezicht op de Pont du Diable 1835

Théodore Fourmois created this print of the Gezicht op de Pont du Diable. Fourmois was a Belgian artist active in the 19th century, a period when printmaking gained prominence as a medium for circulating images widely. This landscape view of the Devil’s Bridge is no doubt meant to evoke the sublime: the bridge itself is almost engulfed by the craggy rocks and rushing water, with a stagecoach precariously making its way across. In the 19th century, landscape imagery served to promote the idea of a unified national identity and a pride in place. Belgium had only gained independence in 1830; before that, it was controlled by the Netherlands, France, and Austria. This print would have been one of many images circulating through Belgium and further afield to represent what it meant to be Belgian. We can understand the art of the past more fully by looking at its social context through archival sources, newspapers, and other historical documents. Only then can we can truly appreciate how art reflects and shapes our understanding of the world.