Studie, mogelijk een schaapskudde 1848 - 1888

This is Anton Mauve’s “Studie, mogelijk een schaapskudde,” a pencil drawing, now residing in the Rijksmuseum. Mauve, a leading figure of the Hague School, painted during a time of significant social and economic change in the Netherlands. Mauve’s sketch seems simple, but it speaks to broader issues concerning the representation of rural life and labor. During the 19th century, the Netherlands experienced a shift from agrarian to industrial society. Artists like Mauve romanticized rural life, often glossing over the harsh realities faced by working-class individuals and families. These scenes often evoked a sense of nostalgia for a way of life that was rapidly disappearing. This piece makes me wonder about the relationship between humans and animals, and how that plays out in the context of labor and landscape. It encourages us to reflect on the idealized versions of pastoral life and their relationship to the lived experiences of the rural working class.