Landschap met putto en koe 1775 - 1788

Geerlig Grijpmoed created this etching on paper, titled *Landschap met putto en koe*, around 1780 in the Netherlands. Grijpmoed made this pastoral scene at a time when the Dutch Republic was in decline, a period marked by political instability and economic hardship. The rise of the Dutch Patriot movement, advocating for democratic reforms, challenged the ruling elite and ignited tensions within society. The work depicts a seemingly simple, everyday scene: a young boy, perhaps representing a putto, guides a cow along a country path. Yet, what does it mean to cast the herder as a putto, these cherubic figures drawn from classical art? Are we meant to understand the labour of tending to livestock as ennobling, even angelic? In that sense, this etching normalizes hierarchical power relations, even sanctifies them. Grijpmoed's choice of subject matter and artistic style reflects a longing for simpler times, untouched by the political and social turmoil of the era. It serves as a reminder of the power of art to both reflect and shape our understanding of the world around us.