Boerderij bij een brug over een brede sloot 1877 - 1909

Louise Danse created this print of a farm by a bridge over a wide ditch, using etching. Though undated, this work emerges from a fascinating moment in the history of Dutch art. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the rise of the Hague School, a group of artists who turned away from grand historical themes to focus on the everyday life of the Netherlands. They favored rural landscapes and scenes of ordinary people at work and play. Danse's etching, with its focus on a simple farm and its quiet, watery setting, fits squarely within this tradition. It reflects a broader cultural interest in the beauty of the Dutch countryside and the lives of its inhabitants. This aesthetic appreciation helped to shape a national identity tied to the land and its traditions. To understand this work more deeply, we might research the art market and exhibition spaces of the Netherlands at the time. These institutions played a key role in shaping artistic tastes and promoting particular visions of Dutch identity.