Winter van 1740 1865 - 1870

Christiaan Lodewijk van Kesteren created this lithograph titled 'Winter van 1740', in the 19th century. The image depicts figures on a frozen waterway near a village, under a sky heavy with clouds. Van Kesteren, born in the Netherlands, was working in a period of significant social and political change across Europe. The print resonates with the sense of communal life and connection to the land that was celebrated by Dutch artists. Yet, we must remember the context of the winter of 1740, known for its extreme cold and widespread hardship across Europe. The artist could be commenting on the relationship between the community and the unforgiving forces of nature, highlighting the shared vulnerability of the villagers. Does the artwork offer a window into the lived experience and resilience of the people in the face of adversity? Or does it merely romanticize the past? The image invites reflection on both our historical and contemporary relationship with climate and community.