Gezicht op Caprarola c. 1808 - 1857

This is Abraham Teerlink’s sketch of Caprarola, an Italian town, made sometime in the first half of the 19th century. Teerlink was part of a generation of Northern European artists who traveled to Italy, seeking a connection to classical antiquity and the Renaissance. This drawing embodies a kind of visual tourism, framing the Italian landscape through the eyes of a privileged traveler. What does it mean to sketch a place, to capture its essence from an outsider's perspective? Is it an act of appreciation, or does it subtly reinforce a power dynamic? The sketch reveals a romanticized view of Italy as a timeless landscape, yet it also elides the complex social and political realities of the time. Consider the lives and labors of the local people who inhabited this picturesque town. What stories remain untold in this seemingly innocent landscape? It offers a window into the past, prompting us to reflect on how we perceive and represent different cultures and histories.