Uitgeholde boomstam als drinkbak voor vee 1840 - 1846

Johannes Tavenraat created this sketch of a hollowed-out tree trunk used as a drinking trough for cattle around 1860. Tavenraat, working in the Netherlands during a time of significant agricultural change, captures a mundane yet vital scene of rural life. Consider how gender and class dynamics are subtly woven into this seemingly simple landscape. Who were the people responsible for ensuring the cattle were watered? What can this tell us about labor roles within the rural economy? The choice of a humble, functional object as the subject matter speaks to the lives of working people and their connection to the land. There's an emotional resonance in its depiction of the everyday. It invites us to reflect on our relationship with nature, and the labor that sustains us. It’s a scene that both documents and perhaps romanticizes a way of life, prompting us to consider what is gained and lost amidst societal progress.