Landschap met vee after 1834

A. Spol made this etching, titled *Landschap met vee*, which translates to Landscape with livestock, sometime around the first half of the 19th century. Spol’s pastoral scene is filled with images that evoke the Dutch countryside, with its grazing livestock and open skies. In this period, the Netherlands experienced significant social and economic changes, transitioning from an agrarian society to a more industrialized one. The presence of livestock in a landscape suggests a focus on traditional agricultural practices, reflecting the economic realities and social values of rural communities. The art market also played a role, where idealized scenes of rural life were favored among urban elites. To understand this work, we can look to agricultural records, economic histories, and period literature. These resources help us understand the social and institutional contexts in which art like this was made and circulated. The artwork reminds us that art's meaning is tied to its historical and cultural backdrop.