De boerderij in Essex 1874

Sir Francis Seymour Haden made this etching of a farm in Essex, England, sometime in the late 19th century. Haden was not only a trained physician; he was also a founding member and later president of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers. Haden advanced the idea that etching and printmaking should be considered original art forms, equal to painting, and not merely reproductive media. This coincided with a widespread interest in the pastoral and the rural, particularly among the urban elite. The etching presents a scene that romanticizes the English countryside. We see a modest farmhouse by the water, some boats, and figures that look like farm workers going about their day. As art historians, we can look to period publications, exhibition reviews, and the records of institutions such as the Royal Society, to understand the full social and cultural context in which Haden made his art. Ultimately, this tells us as much about the artist as it does about his audience.