View of Heidelberg Castle

Typical of a Romantic approach to the Germanic past, Johann Adam Klein's detailed drawing shows part of Heidelberg Castle, a well-known ruin in southwest Germany. Few buildings were depicted more often by artists in the early 1800s than this impressive structure, featuring medieval and Renaissance elements. This was due to the castle's picturesque character and dramatic location above the Rhine overlooking the town. It was partially destroyed by the French in 1689, and this had a symbolic resonance, as Germany was again attacked by the French in 1803 under Napoleon, not long before this drawing was made.