Landskab med en fåreflok 1645 - 1714

Albert Meyering created this etching, "Landscape with a Flock of Sheep," sometime between 1645 and 1714. Notice how Meyering situates a pastoral scene amidst the ruins of classical architecture. In 17th-century Holland, where this was made, the classical world represented an ideal of order and reason. By placing shepherds and their flocks among these ruins, Meyering suggests a tension between the ideals of the past and the realities of his time. Dutch artists often used landscapes to comment on social structures. The inclusion of classical ruins might reflect a longing for a more structured society, or perhaps a critique of contemporary Dutch culture. We could look at period writings on architecture and social order to better understand these connotations. Art like this reminds us that images are never neutral; they reflect the values and concerns of their creators and their societies. To truly understand this etching, we must consider the social and institutional contexts in which it was created and displayed.