A Wooded, Hilly Landscape with Herders 1783

Editor: This is Jacob Cats’s "A Wooded, Hilly Landscape with Herders." It's a delicate drawing, I think, with so much detail. What strikes you most about its historical context? Curator: It's interesting to consider how this idealized pastoral scene reflects broader societal views. Images like these served to legitimize certain power structures. Does the inclusion of herders evoke a sense of timelessness? Editor: It does, but also maybe a sense of... ownership? The land is being "used." Curator: Precisely. Consider how landscapes often functioned as symbols of national identity and territorial claims. What do you make of the absence of more overt markers of ownership, like fences? Editor: Perhaps it's downplaying the reality of land enclosure, creating a more palatable vision. I never considered that angle before! Curator: Thinking about the public function of art always opens new avenues for interpretation.