Vrouw bij het melken 1762

Robbert Muys made this print, "Woman Milking" in 1782. It presents a pastoral scene but its visual codes are more complex than they might first appear. This Dutch image presents a cow being milked by a woman, with other cattle and sheep nearby. The scene speaks to the agrarian economy of the Netherlands, a culture deeply shaped by its relationship to the land. The print also carries a strong dose of the picturesque. This was a period when the art market was becoming more commercial and genre scenes like these appealed to a rising middle class looking for reassuring images of the countryside. The picturesque elevated rural life, often softening the realities of agricultural labor. Such images tended to downplay social inequalities, suggesting instead a harmonious vision of country life. To fully appreciate the role of such imagery we might consult estate records or conduct a close reading of contemporary literature to understand the social functions of this art.