The Hollow Road c. 1700

Cornelis Huysmans made this oil on canvas painting called "The Hollow Road", sometime in the late 17th or early 18th century. Huysmans was part of a long tradition of landscape painting, using ground pigments mixed with linseed oil. The effect, especially in the sky, is soft and luminous. But consider also the earth tones that dominate the scene; these are made from ochre and umber, or even burnt materials. The very subject of the painting speaks to the social context of its making. You can see figures struggling along a deeply rutted path with their livestock and cart. This path embodies labor, politics, and consumption. It represents the difficult conditions of rural life. So, next time you look at a landscape, don't just see beauty. Think about the materials, the making, and the lives of the people who live in it.