Duinlandschap 1831 - 1888

Arnoud Schaepkens created this etching of a dune landscape in the Netherlands sometime in the 19th century. In a country where much of the land has been reclaimed from the sea, the dunes are a physical reminder of the constant struggle between people and nature. There is a visual tension between a romantic vision of nature and the economic and political realities of the time. In the 19th century, the Netherlands was in the midst of a period of industrialization and urbanization. The dunes were increasingly seen as a source of raw materials, such as sand and gravel, and as potential sites for development. Schaepkens’ print can be seen as a comment on these developments, as if nature is in retreat. To truly understand this image we need to immerse ourselves in the culture and institutions of the time. We need to understand the economic and political forces that were shaping the landscape, and the ways in which artists were responding to these changes.