´T landleven 1874

This print, titled ´T landleven, presents an idealised vision of rural life, created by De Ruyter & Meijer. It invites us to consider the social values and norms that underpinned Dutch society at the time it was made. The image creates meaning through visual codes that have historical associations with the Netherlands. We see children playing, tending to animals, and interacting with nature, reflecting a sense of harmony between people and the environment. The print may have been influenced by specific features of Dutch culture, such as its agrarian economy, its emphasis on family values, and its Protestant work ethic. The scenes are conservative in that they reproduce traditional ideas about the family, and how people should relate to the land. By studying sources, we can better understand how the Dutch understood themselves. This print thus opens a window into the social and institutional contexts that shaped artistic production and reception in the Netherlands.