Runderen en schapen bij een boompartij 1829 - 1889

Ildephonse Stocquart made this etching of cattle and sheep around a copse of trees in Belgium sometime in the mid-19th century. It is a scene of rural peace, but it can also be seen as a statement about land use and the changing place of agriculture in Europe. Stocquart was working at a time when the institutions of art were becoming more professional, with formal exhibitions and art schools. Prints such as this would have found a ready market among a rising middle class eager to display their good taste and demonstrate their connection to the land. This image presents the countryside as a site of harmony and plenty, a comforting image during a period of rapid industrialization and urbanization. The viewer may be invited to ponder the relationship between nature and culture. Was this a conservative statement or an appeal to protect an older way of life? To learn more about this period, we can consult sources such as agricultural records, economic data, and exhibition catalogues. These resources allow us to understand the social and institutional context in which Stocquart was working.