Landschap met ossenkar bij Genk c. 1846 - 1851

This graphite drawing, Landschap met ossenkar bij Genk, was created by Willem Roelofs during a time of significant transformation in the Netherlands. Roelofs was part of a movement away from idealized landscapes, toward the gritty realities of rural life. Here, we see an oxcart, a symbol of agricultural labor, moving across a seemingly barren landscape. The landscape genre in Dutch art was often tied to ideas of national identity and pride. But Roelofs, by focusing on the working class and the land itself, invites us to consider whose stories were traditionally left out of these national narratives. How does the labor of those connected to the land shape our understanding of place and belonging? Roelofs seeks an honest portrayal of the rural experience. This drawing invites us to reflect on the complex relationship between identity, labor, and the land.