Staande koe, naar links 1854 - 1910

Willem Maris made this charcoal drawing of a cow sometime in the late 19th century. At first glance, the image seems like a simple, pastoral scene but this was a period of great social and economic change in the Netherlands. Maris belonged to the Hague School, a group of artists who turned away from the academic style of the time and focused on the everyday life of the Dutch countryside. In a rapidly industrializing world, the public role of such art was to idealize the traditional rural life and landscape, despite the harsh realities that existed. We can see the influence of Dutch landscape painting of the 17th century, especially in the emphasis on light and atmosphere. But it's also worth noting that this image was made at a time when Dutch agriculture was undergoing significant changes, with increased mechanization and the growth of dairy farming. Understanding the art of this period requires us to consider the social and economic context in which it was made.