Korte Voorhout in Den Haag 1648 - 1671

Jan de Bisschop rendered this sketch of Korte Voorhout in Den Haag with pen in brown ink, capturing a scene where buildings line a street under a vast sky. The motif of the open road invites us to consider its symbolic weight, for the road has long been a metaphor for life’s journey, fraught with uncertainties, yet promising new horizons. Think of the ancient Roman roads, not merely conduits for commerce, but also arteries of cultural exchange, echoing in the pilgrimage routes of the Middle Ages, each step a meditation, each mile a testament to faith. This image is both a glimpse into 17th-century Dutch life and an invitation to wander, to ponder our path, and to find meaning in the simplest of journeys.