Landschap in Zwitserland 1824 - 1891

Polynice Auguste Viette created this small landscape print of Switzerland sometime in the 19th century. Viette's choice of subject matter is indicative of the growing 19th-century interest in landscape art, tied to emerging ideas about national identity and romanticism. But consider too, that Switzerland's picturesque scenery was becoming a popular destination for wealthy tourists. Viette, as an artist working in this environment, was then participating in a visual dialogue that both celebrated and commodified the natural world. While seemingly a straightforward depiction, this print quietly speaks to the complex relationship between identity, nature, and commerce. What do you feel when you look at it? Does it speak to you of nature’s grandeur, or something else entirely?