Ruiter en veedrijvers in een landschap 1784 - 1808

Franciscus Andreas Milatz created this etching, “Ruiter en veedrijvers in een landschap”, around the turn of the 19th century. His detailed, pastoral scenes evoke a sense of romanticism, which seems to align with the period's shifting social structures. In this landscape, we see figures of different status – a horse rider accompanied by a walking figure, and cattle herders at the top of the hill. These figures suggest the complex social and economic relations that existed in the rural landscapes of the time. Milatz invites us to reflect on the traditional roles and hierarchies within rural communities. The natural elements and the figures within it, represent society's relationship to the land as well as the romantic, sometimes idealized, visions of rural life during this time. The tranquil scene belies the socio-economic realities of rural life and labor. Milatz's landscapes remind us to consider whose stories are often untold in idyllic portrayals of the past.