Op de boerderij 1903 - 1919

This colour lithograph entitled ‘Op de boerderij’ was made by Arie Willem Segboer. It's got that turn-of-the-century illustrative style, where everything's neatly outlined and coloured in, like a page from a children's book. Look at the way Segboer uses colour. It’s all very soft and pastel, with a limited range. The greens of the fields, the browns of the cows, the pinks of the children's cheeks - it’s all very gentle and idyllic. Notice the way the light is distributed evenly across the scene, without any strong shadows or highlights. This gives the image a flat, graphic quality, like a poster or a greeting card. It reminds me a bit of early Bonnard, with its intimate scenes of everyday life and its emphasis on decorative pattern. But where Bonnard is all about capturing fleeting moments of sensation, Segboer seems more interested in creating a timeless image of rural harmony. It’s a nice reminder that art can be both beautiful and useful, both a source of pleasure and a tool for communication.