A Landscape with Villas in the Middle Distance and Mountains in the Background 1741

Dismar Degen, likely in the early 18th century, painted this landscape with oil on canvas. At first glance, it’s a serene scene, villas nestled amongst rolling hills. But landscape painting of this era was more than just scenery; it was about power, ownership, and the idealization of the world by the ruling class. Consider who gets to own land, who profits from it, and who is rendered invisible in these representations. The figures here, shepherds tending their flocks, are picturesque but also serve to reinforce a social hierarchy. The villas represent wealth and control, while the ‘common’ people exist as a part of the landscape, rather than active agents within it. Degen's work invites us to consider whose stories are being told and whose are being left out. It’s a reminder that what we see is always shaped by the perspectives and power structures of the time. The beauty of the landscape, thus, is intertwined with complex questions of social and economic inequality.