Kop van een schaap, naar links 1828 - 1893

Dirk van Lokhorst made this etching of a sheep's head at an unknown date. While seemingly simple, this image speaks volumes about the social and cultural landscape of the Netherlands during the 19th century. The detailed rendering of the animal's features, from its woolly coat to its gentle eye, reflects a growing interest in naturalism and the rural way of life. In the Netherlands, this interest was tied to ideas about national identity and agrarian virtue. Artists celebrated the countryside, and the animals that lived there, as antidotes to the perceived corruption of urban life. Lokhorst’s choice of subject matter and his meticulous technique suggests a conservative artistic sensibility. To understand this work more fully, we can look at the exhibition histories of the time, the artist's other works, and the writings of art critics. In doing so we can better understand the role of art in shaping social values.