Eerste bedijking door Drusus 1797 - 1799

Engelbertus Matthias Engelberts made this drawing of the First Polder by Drusus, but we don't know when. It is a delicate piece on paper, made with pen and grey ink. The scene shows the Roman general Drusus, surrounded by his soldiers and advisors, overseeing the initial construction of a dike. In the background, laborers are hard at work, reshaping the landscape. Created in the Netherlands, the drawing reflects the Dutch Republic’s historical consciousness and its ongoing struggle to manage water. The artist makes an association between the hydraulic projects of the Roman empire and those of the Republic. The drawing invites reflection on power, labor, and the manipulation of the natural world. To understand the full scope of its meaning, one might delve into the history of Dutch water management, Roman engineering, and the visual culture of the eighteenth century. Art like this reminds us that its interpretation is always contingent on a historical understanding.