Omval 1910

James McBey created the etching *Omval*, showing a landscape in the Netherlands, probably in the 1910s or 20s. McBey was an international artist, but he repeatedly returned to the Netherlands for its distinctive landscape and waterways. The image presents a view of a flat, rural scene, dominated by windmills. Windmills in the Netherlands have a deeply rooted social history and cultural significance. They're not just picturesque relics; they were essential for land reclamation, drainage and industry. Here, McBey may be drawing on a longer history of landscape art in the Netherlands, going back to the Dutch Golden Age. Art historians might use tourist guides, social surveys, and economic records to deepen our understanding of the ways in which landscape and culture interact in McBey's image.