The town of Geervliet and part of Hof van Putten Castle c. 1646 - 1647

Roelant Roghman created this drawing of Geervliet and Hof van Putten Castle using pen and grey ink, and grey wash. The work’s dominant visual experience is one of serene reflection, where the stillness of the water mirrors the architectural forms and the surrounding foliage, rendered in subtle gradations of grey. The composition invites contemplation, an almost meditative state encouraged by the artwork’s balanced distribution of light and shadow. Roghman’s approach can be seen through a structuralist lens, examining how elements of nature and architecture interact within a symbolic space. The church spire, a vertical assertion, contrasts with the horizontal plane of the water, creating a tension that is mediated by the organic forms of the trees. Semiotically, the image presents a network of signs where each element – the castle, the church, the water – represents aspects of Dutch society and its relationship to the landscape. Note the reflection in the water. Roghman destabilizes the conventional understanding of reality by presenting a world that is both present and mirrored, challenging our perception of what is real and what is merely a representation. This technique creates a dialogue between the material world and its symbolic interpretation, and continues to invite re-interpretation.