Waldige Landschaft, links ein Leiterwagen mit zwei Pferden 

This landscape with a wagon and horses was made by Hermanus van Brussel, sometime around the late 18th or early 19th century. Van Brussel worked during a period of significant social and political upheaval, witnessing both the Dutch Patriot revolt and the Napoleonic Wars. The figures populating this scene offer us a glimpse into the social hierarchy of the time, as we see the leisured class riding and traveling in the cart while, towards the bottom right a figure stands barefoot wrapped in a cloak, in a pose that is reminiscent of depictions of the ‘noble savage’, who in their natural state are uncorrupted by society. The sublime is achieved through the romanticized depiction of nature and the classical ruin that sits atop the hill. Consider how this carefully constructed image reflects the values and sensibilities of its intended audience and the artist himself.