t' Huys Starkenburgh 

Roelant Roghman made this drawing of 't Huys Starkenburgh using pen and brown ink with gray wash sometime in the mid-17th century. In the Dutch Golden Age, country estates like this one became popular symbols of wealth and status. Roghman came from an artistic family and likely used those connections to gain access to these properties. His drawings emphasize the architecture and setting of these estates, rather than the people who owned them. What’s interesting is how the building looms large in the frame, but the nature around it seems undisturbed. This suggests the owners of the estate were trying to live in harmony with the land, reflecting a cultural shift towards appreciating the natural world. To understand this artwork further, we might consult estate records, family histories, and other visual representations of similar properties from the time. By understanding the cultural and institutional contexts of Roghman’s drawing, we can better appreciate its meaning and significance.