Cabinet pieces: Landscapes of longing

The depiction of landscape reflects man's relationship with nature. Its significance within the history of art is subject to constant change. For a long time, it served merely as a backdrop for biblical or mythological scenes, until it was freed of all staffage figures in Dutch Baroque painting and later became a popular motif for atmospheric imagery in the Romantic period. Nature became a projection surface for emotions. Sublimity, longing or a deep connection are feelings that became established in the 19th century when looking at nature. Nature studies, in particular, bring an immediacy to bear that still appeals to viewers today. Even in the 20th century, the landscape remains a carrier of mood and conveys the artists' state of mind when looking at nature. A raw autumn day on a Nordic sea or the warming sun of an Italian summer allow us to feel the respective impression when we look at them