Heuvelachtig landschap met herder en hond, twee koeien, vier schapen en een geit 1825

Pieter de Goeje created this landscape scene with etching. De Goeje lived in a time of great social upheaval in the Netherlands, as it transitioned from the Batavian Republic to the Kingdom of Holland, influenced by French revolutionary ideas. The print presents an idealized vision of rural life. The shepherd embodies the pastoral fantasy, representing a harmonious relationship between humans and nature. Yet, this idyllic image often obscures the harsh realities of agricultural labor and the socio-economic structures of the time. Consider the representation of the animals. Are they merely part of the scenery, or do they symbolize something more about our relationship with the natural world? How does the artist's choice to depict this scene reflect the values and desires of the society in which he lived? This work invites us to reflect on the romanticized portrayals of rural life and the complex interplay between humans, animals, and the land.