Rivierlandschap met ruiter bij een brug 1798 - 1837

Ernst Willem Jan Bagelaar made this etching of a river landscape with a horse rider at a bridge. Looking at this print, made in the Netherlands around the turn of the 19th century, we see a tranquil rural scene, complete with a quaint bridge, a distant village, and even a small flock of birds in the sky. But, the image is also very carefully constructed. Bagelaar employs a series of horizontal lines to create a sense of depth, drawing the viewer's eye from the foreground to the distant horizon. This kind of idealized landscape was very popular among the Dutch middle class at this time. For a country so defined by its waterways and rural landscape it is interesting to note that landscape art grew in popularity with increased industrialization. This art served as a reminder of a simpler, more idyllic past. Art historians can better understand the cultural values and social conditions that shaped the production and reception of art like this by studying period documents.