Peasants and Cattle Crossing Ford n.d.

Nicolaes Berchem rendered this image of peasants and cattle crossing a ford with pen and brown ink. The image reflects a long-standing artistic interest in the lives of ordinary people, but it also tells us something about the relationship between the city and countryside in the Netherlands during the 17th century. Berchem was part of a well-established artistic tradition, a trade, a social network and a business based in Dutch cities. In contrast, the laborers who are the subject of this image worked the land. It is telling that Berchem has given the figures in the image classical robes, an interesting way of representing contemporary farm workers. The Dutch Golden Age saw an unprecedented rise in the production and consumption of art, which was supported by a wealthy merchant class. Through careful research, one can begin to understand the social and institutional contexts that shaped the production and reception of this image. The social conditions of the time made it possible to produce an image like this and bring it to a market where it could be sold and appreciated.