Oak tree top 

Peter Becker made this drawing of an oak tree top with graphite on paper sometime in the 19th century. Becker offers us a close, detailed study, the kind that landscape artists across Europe were producing in great numbers at this time. But this wasn't just about accurately recording nature. The tree, especially the oak, had become a symbol of national identity, particularly in Germanic countries. It stood for strength, resilience, and deep roots in the homeland. This rise in landscape art coincided with growing nationalism and Romanticism. Artists, with institutional support, looked to the natural world for authenticity and spiritual connection, in contrast to the industrial revolution. They created images that stirred patriotic feelings and celebrated the unique character of their nation's landscape. To truly understand this drawing, we need to look at the wider context: the rise of nationalism, the development of art academies, and the changing relationship between people and the environment. All of these factors shaped the art we see in museums today.