Boer die een koe melkt c. 1876 - 1879

Anton Mauve made this pencil drawing called "Boer die een koe melkt," or "Farmer Milking a Cow," sometime in the 19th century. The sketch gives us a glimpse into the rural life of the Netherlands during a period of significant social and economic transformation. As the country industrialized, artists like Mauve turned to the countryside for scenes of traditional labor and pastoral beauty. This interest in rural life connects to broader trends in European art, where peasant life became a popular subject. What I find interesting is how the Rijksmuseum, as an institution, chooses to preserve and display such works. By exhibiting this drawing, the museum elevates a simple sketch of a common scene to the level of art, inviting us to consider the value and meaning of everyday life. To understand the social context fully, scholars might delve into agricultural records, and art market data. Ultimately, this drawing is a window into a specific time and place, and its meaning is contingent on its social and institutional context.