Landschap bij Eext 1771 - 1816

Hendrik Schwegman created this landscape near Eext using pen and black ink and brush in grey ink. Schwegman lived in a tumultuous time, straddling the late 18th and early 19th centuries when the Dutch Republic was swept up in revolution and war. His detailed landscapes are often more than just pretty scenes. They are infused with the longing for an ideal, perhaps nostalgic view of rural life, set against a backdrop of societal change. Imagine the socio-economic classes; the person fishing has a completely different lived experience to that of Schwegman. Consider the emotional weight of the landscape, the serenity of the natural world contrasted with the underlying awareness of political unrest, and how this artwork offers a window into a world in flux. Schwegman’s art makes us think about how we see the world and whose stories get told.