Rocks and Oaks in the Serpentara 1869

Victor Paul Mohn made this watercolour painting, titled "Rocks and Oaks in the Serpentara", sometime in the 19th century. The image presents a romantic vision of the Italian countryside, a popular destination for artists of Northern Europe seeking classical inspiration. The rugged landscape, bathed in sunlight, evokes a sense of timeless beauty, but there is a certain artistic construction at work here. How do we understand the institutional forces that shaped Mohn’s vision? We need to consider the rise of landscape painting as an academic genre. By the 19th century, institutions like the Düsseldorf Academy, where Mohn studied, codified landscape painting, turning it into an aesthetic and national project. To truly appreciate this artwork, we need to turn to the historical record, exploring how institutions have shaped the art, and how artists have, in turn, shaped our understanding of the world.