Boerderij en de hefboom van een waterput before 1676

This is an etching of a farm and the lever of a well, made by Johannes or Lucas van Doetechum. These prints circulated widely and helped define Dutch identity and pride during a time of national formation. With its detailed depiction of rural life, this etching invites us to consider the relationship between the land and the people who work it. During the early modern period in the Netherlands, the countryside was not just a backdrop, but a site of labor, community, and cultural identity. These images served to define the sense of "Dutchness" that was closely tied to the land, and especially to its careful cultivation. The labor of farm work is, in a way, idealized here, and it is worth considering what kind of historical reality is being communicated. The etching offers us a glimpse into the lives of those who toiled on the land and invites us to reflect on the complex interplay between nature, labor, and cultural identity.