Gezicht op Böckstein in Oostenrijk c. 1870 - 1890

Baldi and Würthle’s photograph shows us a view of Böckstein in Austria. It is a small image but it speaks to the social conditions that helped shape the production and reception of art in the late 19th century. The image is part of a tradition of landscape photography, which, at this time, was not simply about capturing the beauty of nature. This vista of the Austrian countryside is a product of a growing interest in travel and tourism, with the emerging middle classes wanting visual reminders of their journeys. The photograph romanticizes an idealized countryside, offering a safe and picturesque experience of nature. To understand this image better, we might look at the history of tourism in Austria, as well as the development of photography as a commercial enterprise. We begin to see that art is never just about what is in the frame, but about the social structures that surround it.