Doolhof op landgoed Clingendael Possibly 1689 - 1746

Laurens Scherm created this print, "Maze at Clingendael Estate," around 1700 using etching and engraving. At first glance, you might notice how the elaborate structure of the maze dominates the composition. Its arches and trellises create a complex grid that both defines and distorts the space. Scherm masterfully employs line and perspective to evoke a sense of depth and enclosure. The eye is drawn into the maze, yet the dense foliage blurs the lines, unsettling our perception. This play with perspective and structural ambiguity can be seen as a reflection of the broader 17th-century interest in exploring the nature of perception and the limits of human understanding. The maze, traditionally a symbol of confusion and challenge, becomes here a space where nature and artifice intersect. Notice how Scherm uses this controlled environment to question the boundaries between the natural and the artificial. It reminds us that even within structured spaces, there is room for exploration and the subversion of fixed meanings.