Winterlandschap met schaatsers 1825 - 1875

This print depicts a winter landscape filled with figures skating and enjoying themselves on a frozen pond, but its precise origins are unknown. The multilingual titles suggest a broad European audience. The image creates meaning through its depiction of social activity and leisure, referencing a specific cultural practice of winter recreation. The presence of people from various age groups could reflect a particular emphasis on the family unit, or perhaps highlight the importance of community bonds in a pre-industrial era. Without knowing the exact time and place it was made, it’s hard to definitively connect it to a specific historical event or movement. However, the image might be tied to the rise of leisure culture. By considering these factors, we can begin to understand the role this image played in shaping social attitudes and behaviors. Historians can analyze such images to understand how leisure was represented and consumed in different times and places.