Hooitransport 1748

Jean Moyreau’s etching, ‘Hooitransport’, now at the Rijksmuseum, presents a monochromatic scene dominated by organic forms in various textures. Clouds billow above, contrasting with the smoother surfaces of water, boat and haystacks. These are intersected by the sharp lines of the boat mast, and of the horses. The composition is structured around the theme of transition: between land and water, labor and rest. Horses stand and drink. Figures work, securing loads of hay. One stands atop a haystack, gesturing authoritatively. What might this signify? Perhaps the artist is inviting us to reflect on nature's bounty, and humanity's endeavors to harness it. The print encourages a semiotic reading, where each element is a signifier. The horse suggests toil. The water reflects the sky, blurring the boundary between the terrestrial and celestial realms. Moyreau’s work uses a classical pastoral theme to ask how we understand the natural world and our place within it.