Paard en wagen en mannenkoppen 1848 - 1888

This sketch of a horse, cart, and various heads was made by Anton Mauve, sometime in the 19th Century. Mauve was a leading member of the Hague School, a group of Dutch realist artists who emphasized landscape and rural scenes. Though just a sketch, this work hints at the broader social context of Mauve's art. The horse and cart suggest rural life and labor, a common theme in Dutch art of this period. But the multiple heads, rendered in a rough, almost caricatured style, add a layer of social commentary. Were these studies for a larger work depicting rural life? Were they critical portrayals of the working class? Understanding Mauve's artistic formation within the institutions of art—the academies, the exhibiting societies, the art market—can reveal the social conditions that shaped his artistic production. By consulting letters, exhibition catalogs, and period reviews, one can better understand the artist and the meaning of his art.