Weiland met koeien 1861

Willem Steelink created this image, "Weiland met koeien" with etching. Steelink, who lived during a period of significant socio-economic change in the Netherlands, often depicted rural scenes. At this time, the role of agriculture and rural life was idealized and romanticized, and the rising middle class sought a connection to an imagined pastoral past. The cows resting in the field become more than just livestock; they represent a slower pace of life, in contrast to the rapid industrialization of the cities. Steelink, through his detailed rendering, invites us to consider the value and dignity of agricultural labor, and the animals that sustain rural communities. The way the cows lounge about, they are in charge of their own time. There's a subtle nod to the quiet strength and resilience of the Dutch countryside. Through "Weiland met koeien," Steelink captures the complex relationship between progress and nostalgia.