Aanval bij Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, 1787 1793

Cornelis Brouwer created this print of the 'Attack at Ouderkerk on the Amstel' in 1787. The scene is neatly divided by the water in the foreground that leads to the distant conflict, the two sides mirroring each other in both form and content. The clouds above mirror the smoke on the ground, which in turn mirrors the puffs of smoke coming from the muskets of the soldiers. This gives a sense of balance to the print. The eye is drawn to the human drama unfolding on the left, however, the scene is one small episode in a much larger struggle. Brouwer uses line and perspective to draw the eye towards the distant horizon, alluding to the larger scope of the conflict and its impact. Through the balance between the detailed foreground and the expansive background, Brouwer suggests a world where individual actions are both significant and insignificant within the grander theatre of history.