Ox-Driver and Three Oxen 1660

Editor: Here we have Karel Dujardin’s print, "Ox-Driver and Three Oxen." It's really interesting how he's captured this everyday scene. What strikes you about its historical context? Curator: It's fascinating how Dujardin elevates the mundane. These pastoral scenes were popular, sure, but consider the audience. Were these images intended for the rising merchant class, offering a romanticized view of rural life, or were they for the elite, reinforcing their land ownership? Editor: That's a great point. So, the meaning might shift depending on who's looking at it? Curator: Precisely. The politics of imagery are always at play. What seems like a simple landscape can be loaded with social commentary. Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. Thanks for expanding my understanding. Curator: My pleasure. It's all about looking beyond the surface.