Boerenerf met twee schuren en hooibergen c. 1631 - 1633

This ink drawing of a farmyard with barns and haystacks was made by Gerard ter Borch the Younger in the Dutch Republic some time in the mid-17th century. At that time, the Netherlands was a global center of trade, and a newly wealthy merchant class had created a booming market for art. But the drawing's subject matter points us towards a different aspect of Dutch society: its agriculture. We can see in this drawing how the wealth of the Netherlands rested on the labors of rural people and the productivity of the land. Ter Borch was known for his genre scenes and portraits of the wealthy elite, but here he presents a detailed study of the rural economy, which was necessary for Dutch prosperity. To fully understand the place of this image in the Netherlands, one might consult archives and historical surveys of agricultural practices. Only through that wider social context can we see how artworks participate in the economic and social life of their moment.