Aargau. Baden
1809
Step into 1809 Switzerland with this charming snapshot of rural life by Franz Niklaus König. The scene depicts a couple from the Baden region of Aargau, dressed in traditional folk costumes that were all the rage during the Romantic era's fascination with national identity. The man cuts a dashing figure in a tricorn hat and red vest, hauling a massive wicker basket on his back, while his companion carries a smaller basket, suggesting they are travelers or market-goers. König made a career out of painting these 'Swiss types,' effectively creating the 19th-century equivalent of travel photography.
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