Pijprokende man aan de oever van een rivier en een landschap met boerderijen en figuren c. 1826 - 1888

Johannes Antonius Canta created this intriguing drawing of a pipe-smoking man by a riverbank, sometime in the 19th century. The image is full of cultural and historical references, and it invites us to think about the changing social landscape of the Netherlands during that period. The seemingly simple scene of a man smoking his pipe becomes a powerful symbol of leisure. Smoking was becoming increasingly popular and intertwined with notions of masculinity and social status. The choice of subject matter reflects shifting cultural values. To truly understand Canta's work, one must delve into the social conditions of the 19th century. This was a time of rapid urbanization and industrialization in the Netherlands, and such artworks serve as valuable records of a society in transition. Researching old newspapers, census records, and other historical documents help us understand more.