Gezicht op Elst c. 1864 - 1865

Maria Vos made this drawing titled 'Gezicht op Elst' using pen in the Netherlands. Vos's tranquil landscape invites us to consider the cultural values attached to the Dutch countryside in the 19th century. We can see orderly fields and modest buildings under a wide sky, which creates an impression of calm and balance. The scene is rendered using a delicate application of pen strokes. Vos creates depth through the use of linear perspective. The values of rural life were increasingly romanticized as the Netherlands industrialized. Visual codes of order and moderation contrasted with the perceived chaos of urban life. Historians use archival sources like census records, agricultural reports, and exhibition reviews to understand the relationship between art and social change. These enable us to reflect on the changing meanings of art in different times and places.