Pastoral 1640 - 1694

Willem Romeyn made this drawing with pen and brown ink, and gray wash, sometime in the 17th century. This pastoral scene evokes a romantic vision of country life, popular in the Netherlands at the time. A shepherd family is depicted at rest, surrounded by their flock and rolling hills, but it's not as simple as it seems. This idealized version of rural life glosses over the labor and hardships faced by most people. Instead, it provided wealthy urban dwellers an escape from the pressures of city life, a trend that art institutions and markets often perpetuated. By studying Romeyn's influences and the social context in which he worked, we see how art both reflects and shapes cultural values. To gain a deeper understanding, we might look at period literature or economic records, considering the perspectives of those whose experiences differ from this idealized scene.