Landschap met boerderijen aan een waterkant c. 1803 - 1818

Arnoldus Johannes Eymer made this pencil drawing of a landscape with farms by a waterfront, but we don't know exactly when. The image creates meaning through visual codes that would have been familiar in the Netherlands at the time. The low horizon line and dominant sky, for example, are typical of Dutch landscape painting, and reflect the country's unique geography. The farms themselves suggest a rural, agrarian society, but also one that is increasingly connected by waterways. In the 19th century, the Netherlands was undergoing a period of modernization and industrialization, but the art world, particularly institutions such as the Pulchri Studio to which Eymer belonged, remained committed to traditional artistic values. Understanding the art of the past requires that we look into the complex interplay of social, economic, and cultural forces that shaped it. Researching period documents, exhibition catalogues, and artists' biographies can help us better understand the social role of art and the politics of imagery.