Hoge brug in een park 1762 - 1838

Jan Hendrik Droste rendered this drawing of a high bridge in a park using graphite. In eighteenth-century Europe, picturesque landscapes grew in popularity as markers of national identity and pride. Droste’s image invites us to consider the ways in which Dutch identity became intertwined with notions of an idyllic rural life. The location is made accessible to citizens through the bridge and its calm, serene environment is the perfect place for rest. The figure taking water from the river on the right gives the drawing a social anchor, connecting the landscape to local economies. At the same time, there is a sense of the sublime in the sheer scale of the image, which dwarfs this figure. Studying estate records, travel journals, and popular prints from this time can help us better understand the intersection of land, leisure, and nation in Dutch visual culture.