Landscape with a Haybarn and a Flock of Sheep (copy) 1750 - 1810

This is Captain William Baillie’s “Landscape with a Haybarn and a Flock of Sheep,” an engraving made during the 18th century. Baillie, an Irishman and former officer in the British Army, lived during a time when the British aristocracy began collecting art, and a market for copies developed. Note how this landscape is not just a depiction of nature. Instead, it’s layered with the social dynamics of 18th-century Britain, including the commodification of art and the romanticization of rural life amid rapid industrialization. There's a certain nostalgia embedded within this work, offering viewers an idealized escape from urban realities. What does it mean to produce a copy? How do we value originality? Baillie's engraving invites us to consider the politics embedded in art production, consumption, and the ways in which identity, class, and cultural values intersect within seemingly simple landscapes.