Gezicht op kasteel Brederode 1865 - 1918

This delicate etching presents Barthold Willem Floris van Riemsdijk's vision of Brederode Castle, a vestige of medieval nobility. Dominating the horizon, the castle embodies resilience and the passage of time, yet it is softened by the grazing horse in the foreground. The horse, an ancient symbol of nobility and vitality, appears here in placid domesticity. Consider the equestrian statues of Roman emperors, or Renaissance princes mounted proudly on steeds. But here, the horse is at rest, suggesting a subtle commentary on the changing fortunes of nobility. The castle itself echoes the great fortresses of antiquity, symbols of power. Yet, time erodes even the mightiest structures. This ruin, softened by nature, evokes a sense of melancholy, a reflection on transience. Like the cyclical return of pagan symbols in Renaissance art, the castle here is reborn in a modern context, reminding us that history is not linear but cyclical.