Gezichten op het kasteel van Boxmeer, en het dorp Boxmeer 1745

Hendrik Spilman created this print, titled 'Gezichten op het kasteel van Boxmeer, en het dorp Boxmeer', sometime in the 18th century using etching. Spilman's detailed rendering of Boxmeer reflects the growing interest in topographical art during the Enlightenment. While seemingly objective, these images often reinforced existing power structures. Here, we see the castle, a symbol of authority, prominently displayed above the village. The village is shown with its church, suggesting the intertwined relationship between religious and secular life. Consider the experiences of ordinary people who lived in the shadows of these grand structures. How did their daily lives intersect with the power represented by the castle and the church? The print invites us to reflect on whose stories are typically told and whose are often overlooked in historical narratives. Spilman’s print not only captures the likeness of a place, but also the complex social dynamics embedded within it, reminding us that every landscape is a tapestry of diverse experiences.