Gezicht op buitenplaats Oud-Berkenroede 1837 - 1844

Petrus Josephus Lutgers made this print titled 'Gezicht op buitenplaats Oud-Berkenroede.' This monochromatic image, rendered with precision, invites us to consider the relationship between landscape, power, and social identity in 19th-century Netherlands. The stately home, 'Oud-Berkenroede,' is framed by meticulously rendered trees, which hints at human control over the natural world. Figures populate the scene, their postures suggesting a social hierarchy inherent in the setting. The presence of the estate speaks to the economic structures of the time, reflecting the wealth and privilege concentrated in the hands of the few, while simultaneously obscuring the labor upon which such opulence was built. Lutgers's choice to depict this scene invites us to reflect on the relationship between the land, its owners, and those who inhabit it. It evokes a sense of the complex social dynamics at play during the 1800s.