View Near Kampen, plate 4 from Views of Dutch Villages c. 1650

Roelant Roghman made this print entitled 'View Near Kampen' using etching in the 17th-century Netherlands, a period known as the Dutch Golden Age. Here, a serene landscape speaks to the Dutch Republic's evolving sense of national identity. Note how the scene emphasizes the common features of the Dutch countryside - the waterways, modest buildings, and open skies. Roghman presents a vision of a harmonious relationship between the Dutch and their environment. This image belongs to a larger series that captures the varied faces of Dutch villages. The series may have served to document local landmarks, but it also reflects the political and social values of the time. It represents a culture of civic pride, emphasizing the beauty and order of the Dutch Republic. Historians consult a range of resources, from municipal records and cartographic surveys to understand the relationship between art and society. Through such research, art reveals itself as contingent on its social and institutional contexts.