Drie paarden voor een hooiwagen 1710 - 1763

Jan Peeter Verdussen made this etching, "Three Horses Before a Hay Wagon," in the 18th-century Netherlands, using etching. In that era, the Dutch art world was dominated by genre scenes and landscapes, often romanticizing rural life. Verdussen here taps into this, presenting an idealized view of agricultural labor. Note how he positions the horses and workers in a tranquil setting, a subtle nod to the prevailing artistic tastes. But it also reflects the economic structure of the time, where agriculture was a cornerstone of Dutch prosperity. Verdussen was part of a network of artists and patrons. So to fully understand this work, one needs to look into the art market of the period, its institutions, and the social dynamics that shaped artistic production. Art historians use a variety of documents, like artists' biographies, sales records, and period critiques to gain a fuller sense of an artwork's place in its own time. This etching is a reminder that art never exists in a vacuum.