Landschap met links enkele bomen 1797 - 1870

Andreas Schelfhout sketched this landscape with a few trees on the left, using pencil, sometime between 1787 and 1870. Schelfhout lived during a period of significant social and political change in the Netherlands, from the Batavian Republic through the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Dutch landscape tradition, in which Schelfhout was working, often served as a form of national expression. During a time of shifting national identity, this landscape represents an interesting intersection: the quiet, pastoral scene seems to embody a longing for stability. But who has access to this stability? Who is allowed to feel at peace within the nation? The lone figure in the landscape may represent the individual's connection to the land, but also perhaps their isolation. What emotions does this evoke in you? Is it belonging, or otherness? Schelfhout’s landscape provides a window into the complex relationship between identity, place, and belonging in the Netherlands during the 19th century.