Landschaft mit Gewitterwolken 1889

Hans Thoma created this landscape with storm clouds, or ‘Landschaft mit Gewitterwolken’ in watercolour. Painted in Germany, the piece shows a calm lake threatened by the ominous presence of storm clouds overhead. Thoma lived through the unification of Germany, the rise of nationalism, and the beginning of industrialisation, all of which affected the arts. He was part of a generation of artists who moved away from realism, and the academic style taught in institutions, to paint emotions and subjective experiences. Like many at the time, Thoma found inspiration in nature, specifically the German landscape. It was a way of expressing national identity and cultural pride, but it could also act as a critique of the changing social and political norms. To better understand art like this we can consult historical documents, letters, diaries, and exhibition catalogues. Art is always tied to the social and institutional contexts that shape its creation and reception.