Boerderij met rieten dak 1860 - 1921

Adolf le Comte created this etching of a thatched farmhouse in the Netherlands at the turn of the 20th century. Le Comte's image invites us to consider the relationship between rural life and the institutions of art in the Netherlands. Notice how the thatched roof and simple construction evoke a sense of traditional, pre-industrial life. By the late 19th century, the Netherlands was rapidly modernizing and the art world had become more professionalized. Artists in the Hague School turned to the Dutch landscape to capture a vanishing way of life. The farmhouse here, partially hidden by trees, suggests the intimate relationship between people and nature. To fully understand this image, one needs to consider the role of art academies and the market for Dutch landscapes. Research into exhibition catalogs, art criticism, and the history of rural life will shed light on the cultural meanings of le Comte's work.