Kustlandschap met veedrijvers en gevecht op een brug Possibly 1774

Richard Earlom created this etching, "Coastal Landscape with Cattle Herders and Fight on a Bridge," in 1774. The print reflects the pastoral aesthetic popular in 18th-century Europe, a time when the idealization of rural life served as a form of escapism from the grim realities of urbanization and industrialization. This work presents a landscape populated by idealized figures – shepherds and their flocks – set against a serene backdrop. Yet, even here, tensions simmer: a fight breaks out on a distant bridge, a stark contrast to the tranquil scene. The figures of the cattle herders appear as timeless archetypes, obscuring the labor and the socio-economic structures inherent in agricultural life. "Coastal Landscape" invites us to consider how idealized representations of labor and landscape often mask underlying social tensions. It serves as a reminder that even in the most picturesque scenes, power dynamics and conflict can be found lurking beneath the surface.