Gezicht op Brussel, portretstudie en een schaap 1842

Frédéric Théodore Faber created this print featuring a view of Brussels, a portrait study, and a sheep, sometime in the early 19th century. Prints like this one played an important role in shaping the visual culture of the period. It made landscapes accessible to a broader public, contributing to the growth of tourism. The windmills evoke the rural economy, while the portrait study hints at an interest in the individual. The inclusion of the sheep may symbolize the importance of agriculture to the local economy. Prints like this one were often produced for a commercial market, so we might ask how the artist’s choices were influenced by market demands and the expectations of the buying public. The Rijksmuseum collection is a rich resource for those interested in the social history of art. Catalogues and archival records can reveal much about the production, distribution, and reception of such images.