Landschap met boerderijen aan landweg 1612 - 1664

This print, "Landscape with Farms on a Country Road", was made with etching by an anonymous artist, and now lives at the Rijksmuseum. It exemplifies the Dutch landscape tradition. Throughout the 17th century, artists like this one developed landscape as an independent genre. They moved away from the traditional hierarchy that considered religious or historical paintings superior. Instead, they focused on humble, everyday scenes. This etching reveals the detailed observation of the local countryside around that time. We see thatched-roof farmhouses, a winding road, and figures engaged in daily life. The low horizon line emphasizes the vastness of the Dutch sky, a recurring motif in Dutch Golden Age painting. This focus on the local can be seen as a reflection of the rising merchant class and their sense of national identity. Instead of glorifying battles or kings, art celebrated the Dutch landscape. To better understand the social meaning of this art, we can dig into the period’s economic history. We can also look into the development of artistic institutions that supported landscape painting. These explorations are important to understanding art.