Doorkijk door de berceau in de tuin van Huis ter Meer te Maarssen c. 1740

Hendrik de Leth created this print, "View through the arbour in the garden of Huis ter Meer at Maarssen," using etching techniques. The composition centers on a structured, arching arbour that directs the viewer's gaze into the landscape. De Leth uses linear perspective to create a sense of depth, with the converging lines of the arbour drawing the eye towards the distant village. Note how the geometric precision of the arbour contrasts with the organic forms of the garden. This juxtaposition highlights a tension between the human desire to impose order on nature and nature's inherent wildness. De Leth masterfully employs hatching and cross-hatching to render textures and tones, enriching the visual experience. Consider how this interplay between order and chaos, control and freedom, invites us to explore the conceptual boundaries that define our relationship with the world around us.