Cartouche en een landschap met een hut op palen 1610 - 1638

Chaerles de Hooch created this landscape with a hut on piles as an engraving sometime in the early to mid-17th century. The Dutch Golden Age was marked by unprecedented economic prosperity and artistic innovation, yet this era also saw stark social stratification. Framed by cherubs and royal symbols, this image presents a picturesque scene of Dutch life. The cherubs themselves, usually found in religious contexts, now adorn a secular landscape, perhaps reflecting the shifting cultural values of the time. But, consider the landscape: A hut elevated above the water, figures engaged in leisurely activities. It evokes a sense of idyllic simplicity, yet this idealization often obscures the labor and resources required to maintain such a vision. What is included and excluded from this vision of the Dutch countryside? This engraving invites us to reflect on the complexities of representation and the stories that are told, or left untold, in the making of national identity.