Arcadisch landschap met twee vrouwen 1656 - 1726

Johannes Glauber created this etching, entitled Arcadisch landschap met twee vrouwen, in the late 17th or early 18th century. Glauber, working in the Netherlands, was part of a generation of artists who popularized idealized landscapes evoking classical antiquity. Here, we see two women in a tranquil, imagined space; their presence invites us to consider the relationship between women and nature in art. Historically, such depictions often served to reinforce societal expectations around women's roles as passive, nurturing figures. The women are placed in a reclined setting which emphasizes leisure and perhaps, a connection to fertility. The lack of specificity allows viewers to project their own desires for peace and harmony onto the scene. Such works provided an escape, yet also reinforced prevailing social norms about gender and the human relationship to the natural world. Glauber’s etching makes us think about the narratives we tell ourselves about the ideal life, and who gets to inhabit that space.