Molen aan een vaart bij Alkmaar 1876 - 1910

"Molen aan een vaart bij Alkmaar," or "Mill on a canal near Alkmaar," is an etching made by Alphonse Stengelin. He was a French artist who depicted scenes from the Netherlands, especially in areas like Alkmaar, which became a haven for artists due to its picturesque views. The etching reflects the late 19th-century art world where artists often turned to landscape for solace and authenticity. Stengelin, positioned as an outsider, captures a very intimate portrait of Dutch rural life. His gaze frames the relationship between the industrial and the idyllic, the organic and the geometric, and how these distinctions often speak to the core of national identity. Consider the emotional resonance of this scene, where the steady rotation of the mill contrasts with the still canal. It's a quiet scene, inviting us to contemplate the past and the enduring presence of cultural symbols. Stengelin provides a place for reflection on the tensions between progress and preservation.