Dorpelingen oogsten hooi 1751 - 1816

Reinier Vinkeles’s “Dorpelingen oogsten hooi” (1751-1816) depicts a lively scene of villagers harvesting hay in a field. The etching, now held in the Rijksmuseum, showcases the artist’s skill in capturing the bustling energy of rural life, with figures engaged in various tasks: pitching hay, transporting it, and tending to children. Vinkeles’s attention to detail and dynamic composition convey the rhythm of their work, and the inclusion of a church in the background underscores the importance of faith in their lives.