Kasteel Toutenburg te Vollenhove c. 1596 - 1630

Claes Jansz. Visscher created this print of Kasteel Toutenburg te Vollenhove in the 17th century, a period marked by significant social stratification and economic shifts in the Netherlands. The image captures not just a castle, but a symbol of power and wealth amidst a landscape that likely supported a complex socio-economic hierarchy. Here, the imposing castle, surrounded by water, contrasts with the windmill and the figures in the foreground, possibly peasants or laborers. Visscher's choice to include these elements invites us to consider the relationship between the land, the labor, and the aristocracy. The presence of the windmill speaks to the economic activities that sustained the castle and its inhabitants. Consider how landscapes can reveal societal structures, telling stories of power, labor, and the everyday lives of people who occupied these spaces.