Milking Time 1710 - 1763

Jan van Gool painted "Milking Time" sometime in the 18th century, using oil on canvas. It presents an idyllic scene, seemingly far removed from the realities of agrarian life, reflecting a broader cultural trend in the Netherlands. The painting uses visual cues to communicate ideas about nature and society. Consider the arrangement of the figures, the animals, and the landscape. There is a hierarchy that reinforces social norms of the time. The Netherlands was a major economic power, yet there was growing tension between the wealthy urban elite and the rural poor. How might this image represent the fantasies of wealthy urbanites? Were they trying to escape from the realities of city life, or perhaps to reassure themselves about the existing social order? To better understand, look at the art market and the patronage systems of the time. Old auction catalogs, artist biographies, and records of art academies can tell us much about the social and institutional context in which Van Gool was working. By understanding that context, we can better understand the role this painting played in its own time.