"The Interior of the Palm House," Carl Blechen, 1832/33.
Blechen (1798-1840) was a noted painter of Romantic landscapes. This painting was a special commission by Frederick William III of Prussia, and the setting is a real one, the Palm House at the royal retreat of Pfaueninsel, an island near Potsdam. The Palm House was a lavish conservatory (burned down in 1880) that was quite a sight to see, if this is any indication.
Blechen did two versions; another view, hanging in the Art Institute of Chicago, was given to Frederick's daughter, who had married Nichola I of Russia.
This is a lavish example of Romantic Orientalism, with the palms, the architecture, even the harem girls lounging on the floor.
From the Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg.
