Grazend kalf bij planten 1750 - 1809

David Alphonse de Sandoz-Rollin made this drawing of a grazing calf and plants, using pen in gray. De Sandoz-Rollin lived in an era marked by evolving social structures and nascent industrialization. As we observe this calf in its quiet moment of grazing, consider the broader narratives of pastoral life that were often romanticized, yet stood in stark contrast to the realities faced by many. This drawing exists within a tradition of landscape art that can often erase the social and economic relations, particularly labor. What is included and excluded when the land is represented, and who is able to own land? The simplicity of this image invites reflection on our relationship with nature and how we represent it. It evokes a sense of calm, yet subtly reminds us of the complex histories embedded within seemingly bucolic scenes.