Landschap met een staande en een liggende koe 1798 - 1837

Ernst Willem Jan Bagelaar made this etching, 'Landscape with a standing and a lying cow', in the Netherlands, sometime in the early 19th century. It presents an apparently simple rural scene, but we can read it as part of a larger story of Dutch identity and nation-building in the wake of revolution. The etching revives a long tradition of Dutch landscape painting but gives it a new spin. Here, the rural landscape isn't just a backdrop; it's center stage. Bagelaar seems to be saying something about the intrinsic value of the Dutch countryside and rural life, especially the breeding of cattle, a crucial sector of the Dutch economy. Such images bolstered a sense of national pride and belonging. Art historians can dig into the archives of the period, looking at agricultural data, political speeches, and even popular songs to understand how images like this one played a role in shaping a new Dutch national consciousness. The meaning of art depends on its social and institutional context.