Plattegrond en beschrijving van het tweede gesticht van de Maatschappij van Weldadigheid te Veenhuizen 1827

Editor: So, this is an engraved print from 1827, titled "Plattegrond en beschrijving van het tweede gesticht van de Maatschappij van Weldadigheid te Veenhuizen" by Johannes van der Hey. It looks like an architectural plan, quite austere. What do you see in it? Curator: Ah, yes! It's a deeply interesting piece, isn't it? My initial reaction is a sense of…containment. It is precise and ordered. Now, think about it - an architectural print wouldn't normally stir up any feelings. It does look really dry. But then again, what secrets does this drawing contain? Look closer and a little bit of drama begins to peek through. Is that a gate, the long corridors to move through in single file to one's work? Is this not just a map, but a diagram of control, with people tucked away in their allotted rooms, ordered, working... almost like bees in a hive. Editor: I see what you mean. There's a whole philosophy encoded within those lines. It isn’t as plain and simple as I originally perceived. Curator: Absolutely! Look at this map: it seems dry but think of all the work and worry that went into its creation. What do you see? How does it speak to you now?