Landscape with Cows n.d.

John Constable created this drawing, Landscape with Cows, using graphite and blue and white chalk on paper, during a time of great social change in England. Constable was part of a generation that witnessed the rise of industrialization, which led to a sentimental, and sometimes melancholic, view of rural life. His landscapes weren't just about pretty scenery; they reflected the changing relationship between people and the land. He once said he wanted to give an "impression on the mind," capturing not just what he saw, but what he felt. Looking at this drawing, you might think about the labor and lives of the rural working class. Constable romanticizes the countryside, but it's worth remembering that this was a period of upheaval for rural communities, as many were forced off the land due to economic changes. The drawing serves as a poignant reminder of what was being lost amidst "progress."