Blad c. 1856 - 1870

This is Maria Vos’s rendering of a leaf, sketched in pencil. We might ask: what is the public role of an image like this? Vos was Dutch, active during the rise of institutional art education in the Netherlands. Botanical drawing was a common exercise in art schools, teaching students to see and record the natural world with precision. In the 19th century, the Netherlands was consolidating its national identity through its museums. It had also been one of the first European countries to enfranchise women. Vos became a successful artist, recognized by institutions like the Rijksmuseum, which now holds this sketch. These elements—a concern with national identity, a focus on the natural world, and a gradual acknowledgement of women’s artistic contributions—give an image such as this a wider significance. What seems a simple sketch carries a trace of the social conditions of its making. By researching these conditions, we can better understand the meaning of art.