Environs de Namur 1820 - 1833

Barend Cornelis Koekkoek made this print, Environs de Namur, in the 19th century. Koekkoek was a leading figure in the Dutch Romantic landscape painting tradition, a movement that saw nature as a source of spiritual and national identity. This landscape isn't just a pretty picture; it's a statement of cultural pride. The imposing castle perched atop the hill and the tranquil scene below reflect the era's longing for a past of national glory and the peace of the countryside. The figures placed within the landscape invite us to contemplate our own place in the natural and national world. What does it mean to belong, to be part of a history that's both grand and intimate? Koekkoek once said that a painter must "penetrate into the soul of nature." In this work, he asks us to do the same, to find our own souls reflected in the landscapes that surround us.