Kar met een koe Possibly 1863 - 1867

Cornelis Springer made this pencil drawing of a cart and cow in the Netherlands, likely in the mid-19th century. The image offers a glimpse into the everyday rural life of the time. Cows were essential for small farmers and the figures, though sketched, reflect the labouring classes. We can read this drawing as a historical document. Springer was a Dutch Golden Age Revivalist. He was dedicated to preserving the heritage of the Dutch landscape and cityscape through art. This movement was strongly influenced by the rise of nationalism in Europe and the Netherlands' own struggle for independence and self-definition. It is therefore tempting to speculate on the degree to which an image such as this, in its rendering of a simple, timeless rural scene, may have offered a kind of visual reassurance about Dutch traditions, history, and identity. To further explore the meaning of this work, one could research the economic conditions of Dutch farmers, 19th-century Dutch nationalism, and the role of art institutions in promoting particular visions of national identity.