Landschap met twee schetsende kunstenaars aan het water 1670

Paul van Somer II created this landscape with two sketching artists near the water in the late 17th century. During this time, the Dutch Republic was a major economic power, and there was a growing interest in natural sciences and empirical observation. This etching presents an opportunity to consider the role of the artist in society. Here we see two artists actively engaged in the act of observing and recording the world around them. In one instance, there appears to be a master and a student, which creates an explicit reference to the transmission of artistic knowledge and skill. What kind of social dynamics might be at play here? Also, the presence of a commoner in the composition, who seems to be passing by the artists, reminds us of the social and economic disparities that characterized Dutch society at the time. This work can be read as a reflection on the relationship between art, labor, and social class in the Dutch Golden Age.