Augustus 1722 - 1784

Simon Fokke created this print, titled "Augustus," in the Netherlands during the 18th century using etching techniques. It depicts peasants harvesting a field of tall crops, likely grain, with a church steeple rising in the background. The image is not just a neutral depiction of rural life. In 18th-century Europe, agricultural scenes often served to reinforce social hierarchies and the natural order. The peasants' labor is romanticized, obscuring the harsh realities of their existence and aligning with the views of the land-owning aristocracy. The nearby church further sanctifies the existing social order. Fokke worked with a number of publishers and it would be worth exploring the precise institutional history of this image to see if it was commissioned for a particular purpose. To fully understand this print, we need to research the economic and social conditions of the Dutch peasantry in the 1700s. Such historical context provides a richer understanding of the politics of this seemingly simple image.