Meadow Landscape on the Spaarne 1890 - 1919

Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof made this oil on panel, Meadow Landscape on the Spaarne. Dijsselhof’s pastoral scene speaks to a specific social and cultural moment in the Netherlands. Here we see a vision of serene Dutch countryside. Cows graze in a peaceful meadow, and a traditional windmill stands on the horizon. The late 19th century saw increasing urbanisation and industrialisation. As a result, artists started painting the countryside as an escape from the pressures of modern life. Dijsselhof was part of a generation of artists who looked to the Dutch landscape for inspiration. These artists wanted to express a sense of national identity through idyllic images. The Rijksmuseum itself played a role in shaping this artistic trend. It actively collected and promoted landscape paintings, reinforcing their cultural importance. As art historians, we can explore archival material and exhibition records to further understand how the image reflects the values of its time. We can interpret this artwork as part of a broader cultural movement.