Bomen langs een houten hekwerk in de duinen van Haarlem c. 1634 - 1635

Gerard ter Borch II created this drawing, "Trees along a wooden fence in the dunes near Haarlem," sometime in the 17th century. Ter Borch, born in the Dutch Republic during its Golden Age, lived in a society undergoing immense economic and social change. This sketch offers a glimpse into the relationship between the Dutch and their landscape. The dunes of Haarlem were not just geographical features but a space where daily life, recreation, and artistic expression intertwined. This drawing invites reflection on humanity's place within nature. The fence suggests a boundary, yet the trees freely grow beyond it, hinting at nature's indifference to human-made structures. Ter Borch invites us to consider our transient presence in the face of the enduring natural world. This drawing is more than just a landscape; it is a meditation on time, change, and the delicate balance between human existence and the environment.