Gezicht op de Dreumelse dijk met kruiend ijs 1855

Pierre Louis Dubourcq made this print of the Dreumel dike with drift ice in the Netherlands, in the mid-19th century. The scene is one of potential destruction. The huge blocks of ice dwarf the buildings and figures; nature seems to be on the verge of overwhelming human habitation. Looking at this print, it’s important to remember the history of the Netherlands and its relationship with the sea and the rivers. As a country that lies largely below sea level, the Dutch have always had to battle against the threat of flooding. Dikes, like the one seen here, are a crucial part of the Dutch landscape, protecting the land from the water. Prints like this one, circulated widely, could serve both as records and as warnings. They remind viewers of the constant need for vigilance and the power of nature. To fully understand this print, we might look at newspaper reports of floods, engineering reports on dike construction, and other images of the Dutch landscape. This would give us a richer sense of its historical and cultural context.