Boerenwoningen en een hooischuur achter een hek c. 1631 - 1633

This is a pen and ink drawing entitled "Boerenwoningen en een hooischuur achter een hek" (Farmhouses and a haystack behind a fence), by Gerard ter Borch the Younger, an artist working in the Netherlands during the Dutch Golden Age. The Dutch Golden Age was a period of immense economic and cultural prosperity. Ter Borch was known for his genre scenes and portraits, often depicting the affluent. In this sketch, however, we see a simple, rural scene. The sketch provides an interesting lens through which to consider class and representation. The life of the farmer, rendered here with visible brushstrokes, represents a life of labor. Ter Borch rarely depicted these rural subjects, and when he did, it was often from the perspective of an outsider looking in. Although the image has a simple and almost unassuming quality, it offers an intimate glimpse into the everyday life of the rural working class. It reminds us to consider whose stories are told and from what perspective.