Sloot met schuit, daarachter bomen en een huis 1870 - 1931

This etching, "Sloot met schuit, daarachter bomen en een huis" was created by Willem Bastiaan Tholen, a Dutch artist who died in 1931. It presents a tranquil waterside scene. Tholen was associated with the Hague School, a group of artists who emphasized realism and a muted palette, reflecting the Dutch landscape. We can see how the image creates meaning through the visual codes of this movement. The focus on the everyday, the rural, and the unadorned. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw significant social changes in the Netherlands, including urbanization and industrialization. Artists like Tholen often looked back to the countryside as a symbol of traditional values and national identity. To fully appreciate the art of Tholen and his contemporaries, a historian might investigate exhibition records and the writings of contemporary art critics. These kinds of resources reflect on the role of art in reflecting a changing society.