Lærebrev for det Kgl. Landhusholdningsselskab 1857

This is an engraving for Det Kongelige Landhusholdningsselskab, or The Royal Danish Agricultural Society, by Henrik Olrik, made sometime in the 19th century. This document reflects the significance of agriculture in Danish society. But beyond its face value, consider the unacknowledged labor and the cultural values it upholds. The image of men plowing a field obscures the lives of countless agricultural laborers whose stories are often missing from official narratives. We are invited to consider whose knowledge and labor are being certified and whose are being overlooked. It prompts us to consider the relationship between the land, labor, and identity, and how these dynamics shape our understanding of society and history. It speaks to our emotional connection to the land, and to the complexities of national identity.