Boerderij bij een bevroren rivier 1616 - 1680

This etching, titled 'Farmhouse by a Frozen River', was made by an anonymous artist in the Netherlands. The scene captures a slice of 17th-century Dutch rural life, a period marked by significant economic growth and social change. The frozen river and humble farmhouse evoke the harsh realities of winter for the working class. During the Dutch Golden Age, the representation of the ordinary became a popular genre. What we see here, in some sense, is the 'discovery' of the rural population as a worthy subject of art. There's a stark contrast between this simple scene and the lavish lifestyles of the urban elite, often depicted in paintings commissioned by wealthy merchants. The choice of such a subject may subtly critique the social disparities of the time, or it might reflect a conservative desire for simpler times. Either way, the etching serves as a window into the complex social fabric of the Dutch Golden Age. By studying such images alongside historical records, we can better understand the era's values and contradictions.