Goethe's love of nature is evident in his sketch of Schloss Kochberg, country estate of his mentor Charlotte von Stein

Charlotte von Stein was friend and patron of the young Goethe after his arrival in Weimar. She helped him gain entry into the "court", later their devotion to each other would transform into an idealized love. Goethe finally broke the increasingly smothering bonds of this relationship and took a two year trip to Italy. In Rome he spent much time with the celebrated young Swiss/Austrian artist Angelika Kauffmann. Angelika was reputed to have had a crush on Benjamin West, when he also was in that mecca of the art world, Rome.