Landschap met kudde en herderin 1822 - 1845

Arie Ketting de Koningh made this print titled 'Landscape with Herd and Shepherdess' in the Netherlands in the mid-19th century. Here, the rural setting and idealised image of the shepherdess can be viewed in the context of the period's shifting social landscape, especially the growth of cities and industry. As urban centres grew, art often romanticised rural life. The Dutch Golden Age had its share of pastoral scenes, but this print reflects a desire to return to simpler values, perhaps even a critique of the increasing complexity of urban existence. Museums at this time began to display images of “traditional” life as symbols of national identity. To fully appreciate this image, consider researching the economic conditions of the time. Study exhibition histories and art criticism from the 1800s to understand how this kind of imagery played a role in shaping Dutch cultural identity. In doing so, we recognize that art is always embedded in specific social and institutional frameworks.