Figuren bij een bosrand before 1850

This print, "Figuren bij een bosrand", was created by Remigius Adrianus Haanen, who lived from 1812 to 1894. Haanen was working during a time of significant social and economic change. As industrialization increased, landscape paintings offered a romanticized view of nature. The two figures in the foreground, likely women, are diminutive against the towering trees. This contrast reminds us of our temporary presence in a world that will far outlast us. Haanen's choice of subject matter reflects the values of his time. Yet, we might consider the absence of certain figures. Where are the images of industrial labor? Who is allowed leisure in the forest, and who is not? The work invites us to consider whose stories were, and were not, being told through art at this time. The print captures a fleeting moment of quiet contemplation, while prompting us to reflect on the broader societal narratives that shape our understanding of nature and our place within it.