De lakenfabricage: een schapenvacht 1672 - 1747

Willem van Mieris made this drawing of a sheepskin, sometime in the late 17th to early 18th century. It’s an object study, of the kind that would inform the more complex allegorical or genre paintings that were popular in the Dutch Republic at the time. The image invites us to think about Dutch identity in a period defined by overseas trade. What can a seemingly simple drawing of a sheepskin tell us about Dutch culture and its global connections? We might consider the history of wool production and trade, which was central to the Dutch economy. The meticulous detail with which van Mieris renders the texture of the wool speaks to its value as a commodity. This was a period that saw an increasing demand for textiles, and the drawing becomes a meditation on this demand. The drawing allows a contemplation on our relationship with the natural world. This sheepskin represents an animal whose life has been taken in the service of human industry.