Building in Ruins at the Side of a River 

This etching by Jan Smees, a Dutch artist active in the early 18th century, depicts a picturesque scene of a river running past the ruins of a building. The artist's focus on the crumbling structure and its surrounding landscape, evokes a sense of the passage of time and the transience of human endeavors. Smees's masterful use of light and shade adds depth and dimension to the scene, while the inclusion of figures traversing the river adds a sense of scale and human presence.