Stadsgezicht met een kanaal, mogelijk in Oudewater c. 1828 - 1897

This is Adrianus Eversen’s sketch, “Stadsgezicht met een kanaal, mogelijk in Oudewater,” or “Cityscape with a canal, possibly in Oudewater,” created sometime in the 19th century. Eversen lived during a time of great social upheaval in the Netherlands, a period marked by the rise of industrialization and urbanization, which led to significant shifts in the socio-economic structures of Dutch society. Here, Eversen captures a snapshot of Dutch urban life, likely Oudewater. However, the sketch is more than just a cityscape; it is a glimpse into the soul of a changing society. It invites us to reflect on the themes of identity, history, and place that are woven into the fabric of our shared human experience. Eversen uses very light pencil strokes to suggest that the buildings are gently rising up from the still canal water. We are made to feel calm and still within this drawing, an effect which stands in stark contrast to the political and social turmoil of the time in which it was created.