Rivierlandschap met een toren c. 1828 - 1897

Adrianus Eversen sketched this river landscape with a tower in pencil on paper sometime in the 19th century. Eversen, known for his cityscapes, offers us a glimpse into the Dutch countryside, a respite from the urban scenes he typically depicted. During the 1800s, landscape art embodied ideas of national identity and pride. Yet, Eversen's sketch also subtly acknowledges the social hierarchies of his time. The tower, a symbol of authority, stands at a distance from the ordinary figures in the landscape. This separation mirrors the divisions within Dutch society, where class distinctions were deeply embedded in the physical spaces people inhabited. Consider the implications of who has access to such idealized landscapes and who is excluded. Eversen invites us to contemplate the relationship between space, power, and identity. This simple sketch encourages us to reflect on the complex ways in which landscapes both reflect and shape the societies that create them.