Koeien in een weiland 1848 - 1888

Anton Mauve made this graphite drawing of cows in a meadow in the Netherlands at some point during his career. The wispy, almost ghostly quality of the drawing is less about this specific herd and more about a generalized idea of rural life. Mauve was associated with the Hague School, a group of Dutch artists working in the late 19th century, who focused on realistically depicting the everyday lives of the working class. The Hague School artists sought to challenge the dominance of academic painting, which was often seen as elitist and out of touch with the realities of modern life. They moved their studios out of the city in search of authenticity. When we consider this drawing in relation to the institutional structure of art at the time, its social critique becomes clear. Mauve’s choice of subject matter and style challenged the traditional hierarchy of genres, elevating the mundane and the everyday over grand historical or mythological themes. By studying the social and institutional context in which this drawing was made, we can better understand its meaning and significance as a commentary on the social structures of its time.