Huis met een schoorsteen aan een landweg c. 1886 - 1888

Anton Mauve created this sketch, "House with a Chimney on a Country Road", using graphite on paper. Mauve, who was a leading artist in the Hague School, captured the Dutch landscape with a distinct sense of intimacy. This sketch provides insight into the rural Netherlands of the 19th century, a period marked by significant social changes as industrialization began to encroach upon traditional ways of life. As a painter of rural scenes, Mauve captured the intimate connection between the working class and the land. The chimney of the house stands as a symbol of domestic life. Mauve's landscapes often evoke a sense of melancholy, a longing for a simpler time. What do you feel when you look at the sketch? How does it relate to our own lives, in an era where nature is becoming more and more distant?