Vier landschappen in medaillons 1842 - 1887

Carel Christiaan Antony Last created this artwork of four landscapes in medallions using pen and brush in gray in the 19th century. The artwork is arranged symmetrically, with each landscape enclosed in an ornate oval frame. The composition guides our eyes through scenes of pastoral calm to one where a steamship disrupts the still waters. The contrast between the natural and the industrial is not just thematic; it is structural. Last uses light and shadow to define forms, creating depth within the confined spaces of each medallion. The intricate frames, heavy with detail, act as a semiotic boundary, separating and highlighting each landscape as a distinct world. The arrangement, though decorative, reflects a deeper engagement with the changing landscape of the Netherlands, a country caught between its agrarian past and industrial future. It invites us to consider how these spaces—real and imagined—are framed, perceived, and valued.