Landschap met een molen en kerktoren 1834 - 1903

Johan Hendrik Weissenbruch made this sketch, "Landschap met een molen en kerktoren," with graphite on paper. Though undated, it reflects the artistic culture of the Netherlands in the 19th century. Weissenbruch belonged to the Hague School, a group of artists reacting against the academic style of the time, who sought to portray the Dutch landscape and everyday life authentically. This sketch, with its windmill and church tower, evokes a sense of Dutch identity rooted in its countryside. But it also reflects the institutional structures of art. Artists like Weissenbruch were trying to define a distinctly Dutch form of painting, and their work was often exhibited in local art societies. Art historical research into exhibition records and artists’ societies can help us understand how these artists were defining their role in Dutch society. Ultimately, art always reflects the society and institutions that shape it.