Gezicht op de tuinen bij het Otterspad aan een wetering 1725 - 1764

Gerardus Condet created this print, "View of the gardens at the Otterspad along a canal," sometime in the mid-18th century using etching. Condet was active during a period when the Dutch Republic was a major center for trade and culture. As the mercantile class prospered, there grew an increased interest in depictions of local scenes and landscapes. Through the scenes he chose to portray, Condet offers us a glimpse into the lives of the Dutch elite and their relationship to the natural world. This print depicts an idyllic scene of the gardens along the Otterspad canal, it's inhabited by figures of the upper class, enjoying leisurely strolls. However, if we look closer, the presence of livestock raises questions about the relationship between the wealthy and the labor that sustained their lifestyle. The print invites us to consider the ways in which representations of nature can reflect and shape our understanding of social relations, class, and the complex intersections of power that shape our experience of the world.