Gezicht op het Tollenshuis te Rijswijk 1848

Jan Baptist Tetar van Elven created this print of the Tollenshuis in Rijswijk. The house, framed by trees and a wrought-iron fence, speaks of domesticity and enclosure. Look at the gate: a barrier, yet also an invitation. Gates and fences appear throughout art history, from medieval depictions of the Hortus Conclusus—the enclosed garden symbolizing purity—to more modern expressions of social separation. The fence here subtly hints at the division between public and private life, the observer and the observed. We see figures outside the gate, their presence evoking a sense of longing or exclusion. The Tollenshuis stands as a symbol of stability and rootedness. The persistence of such architectural motifs in art reflects a deep-seated human need for security. Notice how the solid structure provides a sense of comfort and familiarity, engaging us at a primal level. The image becomes a stage upon which our own feelings about home and belonging are projected. These symbols remind us that art is a mirror, reflecting our deepest desires and fears across the ages.