Winterlandschap met een kerk en een bevroren rivier 1789 - 1859

Pieter de Goeje made this delicate etching, *Winter Landscape with a Church and a Frozen River*, sometime in the first half of the 19th century. De Goeje lived through the Batavian Republic and the Napoleonic Kingdom of Holland, periods of upheaval and transformation in Dutch society. His art reflects the changing landscape and the lives of ordinary people amidst these political shifts. The frozen landscape and the church, a steadfast presence, evoke a sense of resilience and continuity, echoing the spirit of the Dutch people. The etching emphasizes the quiet dignity of rural life. This piece resonates with a deep sense of place and identity. De Goeje invites us to reflect on our own relationship to the land, to community, and to the enduring power of the human spirit in the face of adversity.