Laan in de polder bij Merksem 1841

Jean Théodore Joseph Linnig created this etching, Laan in de polder bij Merksem, during a time when the romantic allure of the countryside was highly celebrated. The image captures a humble lane in the polder— low-lying land reclaimed from the sea or a river—near Merksem. The artist’s choice to depict this scene reflects the broader 19th-century interest in rural life, but it is a deliberately unromantic vision. Linnig avoids idealizing the landscape, instead presenting a stark view of the natural world and, most notably, the figures in the distance who appear to be laboring the land. It invites us to contemplate the relationship between nature and labor, and the intersection of human activity within the landscape. Reflect on the personal connection you have with the land and consider the stories it might tell.