Boeren ploegen het land before 1898

'Boeren ploegen het land', or 'Farmers ploughing the land', was created by Hauptmann A. Böhmer around the turn of the 20th century. It is a small image, likely printed within a book, depicting farmers at work. Images of rural life were particularly popular in Germany at this time, as the country rapidly industrialized and many people moved to cities. Depictions of the countryside could evoke a sense of nostalgia for a simpler, pre-industrial way of life. Yet these kinds of idyllic images also served a social purpose. They emphasized the virtues of hard work and traditional values, offering a comforting vision of national identity at a time of rapid social change. To understand an image like this fully, we can consult a wide range of period sources, including agricultural manuals, government reports, and popular magazines. These resources can tell us a great deal about the changing role of agriculture in German society and the ways in which rural life was being represented and understood at the time.