Winterlandschap 1754 - 1793

Hendrik Meijer created this drawing called "Winter Landscape" in the Netherlands sometime between 1744 and 1793. At this time, Dutch art had a tradition of landscape painting going back centuries, with artists like Rembrandt and van Goyen depicting the local scenery. Drawings and paintings of winter scenes were particularly popular, especially in the 17th and 18th centuries, as the Dutch Golden Age was coming to an end. This drawing can be viewed as part of a broader trend in Dutch art: Realism. The drawing depicts a frozen river or canal with a few buildings in the background. A lone figure is walking along the snowy bank, while a boat is stuck in the ice. It is a quiet and contemplative scene, capturing the stillness and isolation of winter. If we want to know more about why Dutch artists were so enamored with landscapes, we can turn to the archives. Here we could examine historical documents and studies of Dutch society and culture, including religion, economy, and politics, in order to gain a deeper understanding.