Kudde schapen 1830 - 1880

Pierre Frédéric Lehnert made this drawing, Kudde Schapen or Flock of Sheep, using pen and gray ink, with brush in gray, during the 19th century. Lehnert was born in the Netherlands during a time of immense social and economic change following French occupation and the establishment of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The 19th century saw shifts in rural life which impacted the relationship between people and the natural world. The flock of sheep is shown in a moment of rest. They sit together; some lie on the ground while others stand alert, their woolly coats rendered with delicate strokes of ink. This image evokes the pastoral, an idealized vision of rural life. However, it also invites us to consider labor, land, and the role of animals within agricultural systems. The sheep appear serene, yet their existence is entwined with human industry, raising questions about our ethical responsibilities to the animals that sustain us. What does this drawing tell us about our changing relationship to the natural world?