Pastoral Landscape 

Maggie Laubser painted this oil painting, Pastoral Landscape, sometime in the mid-20th century. In this scene, a black and white cow grazes in a vibrant green field, with farm buildings on a low rise behind. Laubser’s simplified forms and bold use of color reflect the influence of German Expressionism, a style she embraced after living in Germany for several years. Laubser's return to South Africa brought this European sensibility to bear on her native landscape, a choice that initially met with resistance. Despite the progressive politics often associated with Expressionism, the art institutions of South Africa were deeply conservative during this time. Laubser's landscapes, although seemingly innocuous, challenged the aesthetic status quo and implicitly questioned the social norms that upheld it. To fully understand the role of an artist like Laubser, we need to examine exhibition records, critical responses, and the broader cultural debates of her time. Art historians use these methods to reveal the complex interplay between art and society.