Omgehakte boomstammen 1848 - 1888

Anton Mauve made this pencil drawing of felled tree trunks in the Netherlands sometime in the second half of the 19th century. Mauve was a leading artist of the Hague School, and the social context of this movement is vital for understanding his art. The Hague School artists rejected the formal conventions of the Academy in favour of a naturalistic style, seeking to represent the everyday life of the Dutch countryside. In this drawing, the fallen trees can be interpreted as a reflection of the changing relationship between humanity and nature during this period. The Netherlands was undergoing rapid industrialization, and the exploitation of natural resources was becoming increasingly common. Mauve’s drawing might be seen as a commentary on the destructive impact of industrial progress on the environment. To fully understand this artwork, we can draw on social histories of Dutch art and environmental studies that give us insights into the cultural values and attitudes of the time.