Ovindoli negli Abruzzi 1843

Georg Heinrich Busse created this print of Ovindoli in Abruzzi, Italy, sometime in the mid-19th century. It presents us with a bird’s eye view of a pre-modern town, perched high on a rocky outcrop. Busse’s image gives us a romantic vision of Italy, one that reflects the interest of northern European artists in the Italian landscape and its picturesque qualities. Italian institutions of art played a key role in creating a taste for such imagery, promoting ideas of the country as a repository of ancient history and unspoiled nature. We can see this in the careful attention Busse pays to the details of the landscape, the distant mountains, and the winding road. To understand this image better, historians would consult travel guides and landscape painting manuals. We could also research the local history of Ovindoli, looking at its economy and its place within the Italian state. Art gives us a glimpse of a particular moment in time, but its meaning always depends on the larger historical picture.