Bloemen in veld c. 1944 - 1990

Kees Stoop created this print called 'Flowers in a Field' using etching, sometime in the 20th century. Stoop's delicate rendering of foliage invites us to consider the changing role of landscape art during a period of intense social and environmental change. The Dutch landscape has long been a powerful symbol of national identity, and the rise of ecological awareness led artists to engage with nature in new ways. Looking at the image, we can ask how this artist is connected to the history of landscape art, and what Dutch values are being displayed. What kinds of visual codes are being used to signal a self-consciously progressive or conservative approach? To dig deeper, a historian might look into the exhibition history of prints like this, asking which institutions supported the artist, and what kind of audience the work was intended for. Remembering that the meaning of art is contingent on social and institutional context.