Landschap met een jager met hond 1823 - 1883

Johannes Adrianus van der Drift created this landscape with a hunter and dog as an etching during the 19th century. This was a time when the Netherlands was negotiating its identity as a constitutional monarchy. In this print, we see a hunter, presumably a man, with his rifle and dog, positioned on a path. This suggests ideas around Dutch identity, freedom, and the relationship between humans and nature. The presence of the hunter, set against the backdrop of nature, touches on themes of land use, ownership, and the societal roles associated with the land. The hunter becomes a figure through which gender, class, and our relationship to the environment are subtly performed. What does it mean to exert dominion over a landscape? How do class and masculinity intertwine with our notions of freedom and nature? The artist invites us to consider the intricate connections between individual identity, societal roles, and our shared environment.