Boom en een huis op het platteland 1858

Maria Vos made this pencil drawing of a tree and a house in the countryside in the Netherlands in the 19th century. Vos lived at a time when art academies were becoming more accessible to women. The sketch gives the impression of a quick study from life, suggesting the artist was working ‘en plein air’, as it was then called. The drawing speaks to the increasing interest in representing the natural world and the everyday lives of rural people. As the Netherlands underwent industrialization, artists like Vos found new inspiration in the countryside. As historians, we might use census records and local histories to learn more about the specific region Vos depicted, exploring the social conditions that shaped her artistic vision. Understanding the institutional context of art production, such as the role of art societies and exhibitions, will allow us to better appreciate the cultural work this drawing performs.