Gezicht op een rij huizen c. 1828 - 1897

Adrianus Eversen made this graphite drawing called “View of Row Houses” at an unknown date. Eversen was known for his cityscapes, and this sketch gives us insight into how he viewed Dutch urban environments. It’s hard to ignore the social context in which Eversen was working. The 19th century in the Netherlands was marked by significant social and economic changes. Urbanization was rapidly increasing, which resulted in overcrowding and new forms of urban poverty. These changes prompted artists to respond to new emerging social realities in their artwork. Although this is a quick sketch, it is a study, and the architecture itself has presence. To understand more about Eversen's art, you might look at the institutions that supported and exhibited his work. Examining exhibition reviews, sales records, and the artist’s biography will allow one to build a picture of how the cultural world of his time shaped both what he created and how it was received.