Gezicht op het dorp Schipluiden 1791 - 1793

Anna Catharina Brouwer made this print of Schipluiden with etching, a technique that allowed for the affordable reproduction of images. The print is an idyllic view of a Dutch village, framed in a way that evokes a sense of civic pride and belonging. Made in a period when the Dutch Republic was a major economic and cultural power, such images reinforced a sense of national identity and local community. The architecture, from the church spire to the modest houses, speaks to a society rooted in Protestant values and commerce. The figures working with animals in the fields suggest the industriousness that was so valued in Dutch society. Understanding this work requires looking at the context of Dutch printmaking at the time, exploring the economic structures that supported artistic production, and examining the role of images in shaping social values.