Binnenplaats met vierkante eendenvijver 1562 - 1601

This is "Binnenplaats met vierkante eendenvijver" or "Courtyard with square duck pond", an engraving by Johannes or Lucas van Doetechum. The print presents an aerial view of a symmetrical courtyard, complete with colonnades, pavilions, and, of course, a square duck pond. The artists, active in the late 16th century, lived in a time when the Dutch Republic was emerging, marked by burgeoning trade, religious reformation, and a growing sense of national identity. Architectural prints such as this one circulated widely, serving not only as records of existing structures but also as aspirational designs for new constructions. The rigidity and formality of the courtyard suggests a controlled, almost theatrical space, fit for the performance of wealth and status. The ducks in the pond are perhaps stand-ins for ourselves, gliding along the surface while the depths remain unseen. The courtyard is orderly and suggests that the human experience can be controlled, designed, and managed, a concept that has proven elusive.