Koeien in een weiland bij Hammerhof in Marienbad 1858

Johannes Tavenraat sketched "Cows in a Meadow near Hammerhof in Marienbad" with pen in ink. It's an unassuming scene but, in its very typicality, worth a second look. In the 19th century, the Netherlands was undergoing significant transformations. A growing middle class developed, and the country was transitioning from an agrarian society to one that was increasingly industrial. In this context, landscape art took on a particular social function. Through their work, artists constructed an idea of Dutch identity rooted in the land, and that was often overtly nationalistic. We might then ask ourselves whether Tavenraat meant to do this. Is this a scene of proud Dutch agriculture, a celebration of the nation's produce? Of course, more information is needed to determine whether this drawing aligns with or critiques the dominant cultural values of its time. The date, for instance, the location, Tavenraat's other works. All are crucial resources when we examine the public role of art.