Huisjes te Zoutelande, met uitzicht op duinen en zee 1876 - 1915

Ferdinand Hart Nibbrig made this drawing of houses in Zoutelande, with a view of the dunes and the sea, with colored pencil on paper. Nibbrig worked at a time when Dutch art was reckoning with its place in the wider European scene, and his landscapes often reflect a search for a distinctively Dutch identity rooted in its rural landscapes. Here we see a quiet coastal scene; modest houses nestled amongst grassy dunes. The Netherlands has a unique geography that has shaped its history and culture. Much of the land is reclaimed from the sea and these villages, like Zoutelande, were often isolated communities, their inhabitants dependent on the sea for their livelihoods. As art historians, we consider how images like this contribute to ideas about national character and we research sources like regional histories, folklore, and literature to better understand the cultural significance of such a scene. The meaning of art lies in understanding its social and institutional context.