Hooischuren bij de Eemdijk 1962

George Mackley made this wood engraving, "Hooischuren bij de Eemdijk," the Dutch title translating to "Hay Barns at the Eemdijk," sometime in the 20th century. It depicts a traditional agricultural scene, but it also evokes a powerful sense of place. The image creates meaning through visual codes rooted in Dutch culture and history. The hay barns themselves are a cultural reference, and the flat landscape alludes to the geography of the Netherlands and its historical reliance on agriculture. Mackley made this print during a time when the Netherlands was modernizing, and in this context the image can be seen as a commentary on the changing social structures of the time. Was he self-consciously conservative, preserving a view of the past, or was he progressive, perhaps critiquing the effects of modernization on rural communities? To better understand Mackley's motivations we might explore Dutch social history of the 20th century and consult archives that document the changing attitudes towards rural life during this time. Art is contingent on social context, and the historian helps us understand it better.