Bevroren rivier met schaatsers en ijszeilen 1859 - 1891

Elias Stark created this print of a frozen river with skaters and ice-sailing boats in the Netherlands, but we're unsure exactly when. The frozen canals and rivers of the Netherlands have long provided a space for leisure and trade, as seen in the figures skating and sailing across the ice. Prints like these gained popularity in the late 19th century as they provided affordable access to art and culture for a growing middle class. The etching technique allowed for detailed and reproducible images, fitting into the rise of mass media and visual culture at the time. The level of detail gives us a fascinating insight into the Dutch Golden Age and its cultural norms. To fully understand the work, we can look at Dutch social history archives, period literature, and even meteorological records to understand the frequency and severity of the winters that made such scenes possible. The meaning of art is contingent on social and institutional context and that is what makes studying art so interesting.