De havezathes Rhaan en Schuylenburg in Salland, Overijssel 1733 - 1784

Curator: Hendrik Spilman’s drawing, created sometime between 1733 and 1784, captures two country houses in Overijssel, called “De havezathes Rhaan en Schuylenburg”. It’s made with ink on paper and offers a peek into Dutch Golden Age landscape art. What’s your take as you look at it? Editor: My first thought is… nostalgic sepia dreams! I love how soft and almost wistful it feels, like a half-remembered childhood fairytale setting. Both of those little houses seem plucked from a calmer, gentler time. Curator: Absolutely, there's a palpable tranquility. Spilman's rendering invites the viewer to dissect not just the aesthetics but also the architectural philosophy rooted in each line and wash of ink. The structure in the upper panel called “Rhaan” seems more stately. Editor: Yes! Notice how the upper house is more fortified almost. Stately is the perfect word – formal gardens I imagine! Compared to the bottom, where the house nestled more casually into the land? Makes you wonder who lived where and what stories they told! Curator: Precisely, observe the detailed lines defining the buildings and the subtly shaded trees. Spilman emphasizes structure through clear geometric forms, and I note his attention to detail in relation to light and shadow that gives depth and volume to each building. Editor: I adore the little figures! They add a human element, and it really shows scale. Plus, did you notice how both houses have similar silhouettes, but their personalities just shimmer differently? One wants to impress, the other invites you in. That top one has its little guardhouse and a proud face facing the world! Curator: An astute reading of both buildings' facade, definitely. It provides not only architectural records of these estates but reflects how art from that period could also depict the socio-economic narrative of Dutch society, in its Golden Age. Editor: Looking closer at both, they just make me ponder the secret lives lived within. Thanks to Spilman, we can almost hear whispers through time about what those were like! It is a gentle breeze through history! Curator: Well said! It underscores the drawing's enduring power: to not just represent buildings, but to whisper echoes of the human lives entwined within.