Man zittend op een heuveltje voor een huis te Staphorst 1778 - 1838

Anthonie van den Bos created this print of a man sitting in front of a house in Staphorst in the late 18th or early 19th century. At first glance, it presents a quaint scene of rural life in the Netherlands. But what does it tell us about the relationship between the town of Staphorst and the cultural institutions that came to represent it? Staphorst was known for its distinctive traditional dress and customs. During this period, the rise of Romanticism and nationalism led to increased interest in regional cultures. Artists and folklorists sought to document and preserve what they saw as authentic ways of life. This print reflects that fascination, presenting an image of Staphorst as a place untouched by modernity. We might ask: who is this man? Is he a local resident or a symbol of rural virtue? How did images like this shape perceptions of Staphorst, both within the Netherlands and beyond? To answer these questions, we can turn to local archives, historical accounts, and studies of Dutch regionalism to better understand the social forces that shaped this image and its reception.