In the fall of 1786, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) left Germany. Under the pseudonym “Filippo Miller,” the 37-year-old slipped through the Alps and embarked on a two-year odyssey in Italy. He described his travels in letters and diary entries, reminding readers about the importance of experiencing beauty firsthand.
Goethe’s Departure
A portrait of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1787, by Angelica Kauffmann. Goethe National Museum, Weimar. Germany. Public Domain
