Boot bij steiger 1911 - 1943

Arend Hendriks made this print of a boat by a jetty using etching, around the middle of the twentieth century. Hendriks was a Dutch artist, and this image is likely of the waterways of the Netherlands: a landscape of quiet industry and recreation. Notice how the artist uses contrasting tones to create a dark, moody atmosphere. The composition places the viewer on the shore, looking out over the still water towards the distant trees. It's tempting to see a kind of social commentary in this image. Is it self-consciously conservative or progressive? To what extent does it critique the institutions of art? As historians, we can research the cultural context of this artwork. The Rijksmuseum archives may contain letters or documents that shed light on the artist's intentions and the reception of his work. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.