Grazende koe 1860 - 1883

Jan Vrolijk made this etching called "Grazende Koe" - or "Grazing Cow" - in the Netherlands, probably in the 1870s or 80s. It's a simple image of cows in a field. But consider the social context: this was a time when the Dutch economy was still largely agricultural. The country was also experiencing a renewed sense of national pride, and artists often turned to the local landscape for inspiration. How might this affect the way we see this image? Is it simply a depiction of rural life? Or does it also represent Dutch national identity? These are the kinds of questions that art historians ask. By researching the cultural and economic history of the Netherlands, we can begin to understand the role this image played in the society that produced it.