Brug en een boerderij met hooimijt c. 1780 - 1800

Barend Hendrik Thier created this drawing of a bridge and a farm with a haystack sometime in the late 18th century. Thier was working during the Enlightenment, a period when there was a growing interest in the natural world. The drawing is a study of the rural landscape, but it also tells us something about the social and economic structures of the time. In the top half is a bridge, which acts as a crossing point. The bridge could be seen as a metaphor for the connections between people and places. The bridge provides access, which can be seen as a symbol of trade, communication, and the exchange of ideas. In the bottom half, the farm and haystack represent the agricultural basis of society. The farm appears modest, suggesting a simple, perhaps even difficult, way of life. The church steeple in the distance reminds us of the ever-present influence of religion and its role in the community. Thier's drawing invites us to reflect on the relationship between people, nature, and the built environment.