Landscape near Siena 1 - 1851

Friedrich Metz made this landscape drawing of the countryside surrounding Siena with graphite on paper. The absence of people in the landscape invites us to consider the social and political history embedded within the land itself. The rolling hills of Tuscany, often romanticized, also bear witness to centuries of agricultural labor and land ownership struggles. In this light, the lone buildings atop the hill evoke questions of power, class, and the historical control of resources. Notice how the bridge in the foreground provides a focal point. Bridges are inherently about connection, yet this one seems isolated. It prompts us to reflect on the ways infrastructure shapes communities and impacts daily lives. In whose interests was it built? Whose access does it facilitate or deny? Although seemingly simple, Metz’s sketch encourages us to consider the complex relationship between identity, land, and the stories a landscape can tell.