Landschap met reizigers nabij herberg 1584 - 1603

Jacob Savery I created this etching, “Landscape with Travelers near an Inn,” in the late 16th century, a time of great social and political upheaval in the Netherlands. Savery's landscape presents an idealized image of country life. Yet, we also see the inn, a place where travelers of various social classes mixed, sometimes leading to tension. The figures near the inn seem to represent the various roles and classes of people who would have existed in Savery's society. The detailed rendering of the natural world invites us to consider the relationship between humans and their environment. What did it mean to pause and appreciate the landscape during times of conflict? Savery’s work seems to offer a respite, a moment to reflect on the beauty and simplicity of the natural world.