Gezicht op een straat c. 1828 - 1897

Adrianus Eversen sketched this street view with a keen eye for the architectural details that speak volumes of its time. The buildings, huddled together, share a common language of gabled roofs and orderly windows, symbols of domesticity and communal life. The windows, in particular, evoke a sense of curiosity. They are reminiscent of the ‘eyes’ that Alberti described in architecture, connecting the private lives within to the public sphere outside. These windows, like eyes, invite us to imagine the dramas and routines unfolding behind the facades. Consider how similar architectural elements appear in Dutch Golden Age paintings, reflecting a society deeply rooted in its urban environment. The street, devoid of figures, almost feels like a stage set, waiting for life to animate it. This very absence stirs a psychological tension, a yearning to fill the void with stories.