Gezicht op Iffley Mill te Oxford before 1899

This etching, titled Gezicht op Iffley Mill te Oxford, was created by H.G. Harold. We don’t know much about H.G. Harold as an individual, but we can explore the social context of the scene he depicted. This image captures a quiet moment in the English countryside. The composition has a tranquil quality. The buildings and trees reflected in the water create a sense of doubling and symmetry, evoking the calm and orderliness often associated with the English countryside. But remember that idealized depictions of the countryside often mask the realities of rural life, like labor, poverty, and social hierarchies. There is a complex relationship between how the English gentry wished to see themselves, and the realities of industrialization and empire. Consider how the desire for the serenity of nature contrasts sharply with the social and political issues of the time.