Figuur op een stuk grond tussen de huizen 1822 - 1893

Willem Troost made this watercolour sketch of a building in the Netherlands sometime in the mid-19th century. Its loose, informal style suggests it wasn't intended for public display but rather as a personal record, perhaps made during a trip. At this time, the Netherlands was undergoing rapid urbanization and industrialization, processes that led to both great wealth and increasing inequality. Troost’s choice of subject matter – a modest building, rendered with an emphasis on its worn surfaces – might be read as a quiet commentary on the social changes happening around him. The crumbling facade could symbolize a critique of the neglect of older buildings as cities were modernized. Historians look at municipal archives, period newspapers, and even personal letters to reconstruct the social context that shaped such works of art. Only then can we appreciate how artists like Troost engaged with the world around them, subtly challenging or reinforcing the values of their time.