View into a river valley 

Franz Kobell made this ink artwork, 'View into a river valley,' sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. It represents the idealized natural landscapes that became popular across Europe at the time. Consider the social context of this fashion. Before the 1700s, European elites were primarily interested in landscapes that were highly cultivated, like the gardens of Versailles. But, as the Enlightenment progressed, some began to value the 'sublime' power of untouched nature, possibly as a reaction against the increasing urbanization and industrialization of the period. The Städel Museum, where this work is held, was founded in 1815 as one of the first civic art museums in Germany. Art historians look at institutional archives and period publications to understand how artwork was initially seen by its target audience. In this case, we might consider how new public museums shape the meaning of landscape art, and we could ask whose values are reflected in this changing taste.