Man Resting by a Stone Wall 1840 - 1850

Alexandre Calame made this print, "Man Resting by a Stone Wall," in the 19th century, using etching. Calame was Swiss, and landscape prints such as this one speak to the cultural investment in nature during the Romantic era. Here, we see a lone figure by a roadside, surrounded by lush trees. It's a scene of leisure, but it also hints at the changing social landscape of Europe. As cities grew, the countryside became a place of retreat, often idealized in art and literature. Calame's focus on the natural world, away from urban centers, reflects a longing for a simpler time, perhaps a critique of industrialization. To understand this work, we can research the printmaking traditions of the time, the rise of landscape painting, and the social history of leisure. By exploring these connections, we gain a deeper understanding of the cultural values embedded in this seemingly simple image.