Gestapelde houtblokken voor een deur 1840

Johannes Tavenraat made this pencil drawing, titled 'Stacked Wood Blocks in Front of a Door', at an unknown date. The 19th century was a transformative period marked by industrialization, urbanization, and shifting social structures. Tavenraat lived through the Dutch Golden Age, and his work often reflects the everyday life and architectural elements of that era. This drawing, seemingly simple, evokes a sense of enclosure and protection. Wood stacked against a door suggests a barrier, a boundary between the interior and exterior. What historical factors might have led someone to barricade themselves in this way? The drawing may invite reflections on themes of safety, security, and the vulnerability of domestic space, during a period of immense changes to political and environmental landscapes.