Landschap met twee figuren op weg 1785 - 1857

Gerrit Jan Michaëlis made this landscape with two figures on the road, with pen in gray ink, sometime between 1775 and 1857. This drawing is a great example of the rural landscapes that were en vogue among the Dutch middle classes in the 19th century. At the time, the Netherlands was undergoing major economic and social changes, moving from a mercantile society to an industrializing nation. As cities grew, so did a desire for the peace and simplicity of rural life. The art market responded by producing idealized images of the countryside, filled with quaint cottages, picturesque roads, and humble folk. Michaëlis’s landscape fits right into this trend, and the two figures on their way. To better understand this kind of work, we can consult historical surveys of the art market in the Netherlands and studies of Dutch national identity in the 19th century. We begin to understand how this drawing operated as more than just a picture; it was part of a conversation about Dutch values.