Sint Urbanuskerk te Bovenkerk 1887

Elias Stark made this etching of Sint Urbanuskerk in Bovenkerk in 1887. Stark has chosen a low vantage point to render the imposing church. Reflected in the still water, it seems as if the church’s spire stretches both to the heavens and deep into the earth. The etching was made at a time when the Netherlands was undergoing rapid modernization, yet, starkly, it presents a serene and timeless vision of Dutch rural life. Stark was part of a generation of artists who turned away from the social realism that had dominated Dutch art. Instead, they looked back to the Dutch Golden Age for inspiration, embracing a more idealized vision of the landscape. In doing so, they were also participating in a broader European phenomenon. As art historians, we can look at publications and exhibition reviews from the period to better understand this work in relation to its contemporary context. By doing so, we can appreciate how Stark both participated in and diverged from the artistic trends of his time.