Landschap met wilgen 1842 - 1882

Adrianus van Everdingen created this etching, entitled 'Landscape with Willows', in the Netherlands at some point in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. Looking at this work, one is reminded of the important social and cultural role that landscape imagery played in the Netherlands during that time. In the wake of a long period of foreign domination, the Dutch sought to define their national identity in relation to the land. This was a period of burgeoning nationalism across Europe. Van Everdingen, like many of his Dutch contemporaries, took up etching as a medium. This was due in part to the growth of printmaking societies and their promotion of etching as a uniquely modern and democratic art form. Understanding the social and institutional context of art like this requires us to investigate the art market, the development of national ideologies, and the cultural politics of printmaking during this period. With these resources, we can learn to appreciate the historical contingency of art.