Paardenkar op de heide 1862 - 1930

Herman Johannes van der Weele made this print of a horse and cart in the Dutch heathlands using etching. Van der Weele belonged to the Hague School, a group of Dutch artists working from about 1860 to 1890 who depicted rural scenes in a naturalistic style. Looking at this image, what strikes me is how it romanticizes the rural life of the Netherlands in the late 19th century. The heathland is a space of unspoiled nature, yet it also depicts a scene of labour. This print creates a sense of harmony between humanity and nature. In its time, the Hague School was a progressive movement, critical of the established art institutions in the Netherlands. The artists wanted to get away from the city and paint ‘en plein air’ – that is, outdoors. If you are interested in learning more about the cultural context for this print, I suggest looking at the manifestos of the Hague School artists and reading about contemporary debates in the Dutch art world.