Arcadisch landschap met een slapende jongen onder een boom 1771

Jurriaan Andriessen painted this tall panel with oil on canvas, picturing an Arcadian landscape with a sleeping boy, probably sometime in the late 18th century. Andriessen lived during a time of significant social and political upheaval, including the rise of Enlightenment ideals and the decline of the Dutch Republic. His artistic practice was shaped by these evolving cultural values. This panel reflects the pastoral ideal, popular among the elite, representing a longing for a simpler, more harmonious existence away from the complexities of urban life. Yet, this vision often obscured the realities of social inequality and the labor that sustained such idyllic scenes. Consider the figure of the sleeping boy. Is he a shepherd, a symbol of innocence, or something else entirely? The representation of youth and leisure can be read through the lens of class, reflecting who had the privilege to rest and dream, and who did not. The painting invites us to reflect on the stories we tell ourselves about nature, labor, and belonging. How do these images shape our understanding of who we are and what we value?