Bebossing rondom een meer 1860 - 1910

Alfred Elsen created this print, ‘Bebossing rondom een meer’, sometime between 1850 and 1914. The scene depicts the wooded area surrounding a lake and invites us to consider the evolving relationship between nature and culture. Looking at this print, made in the Netherlands, we need to recognize the complex dialogue that unfolds between the natural world and human activity. The dense forestation around the lake suggests a managed, rather than a purely wild landscape. This reflects a growing interest in landscape architecture during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, where nature was often shaped to suit aesthetic and recreational purposes. This intervention into nature, driven by social forces and class distinctions, becomes visible through the artist’s technique. To understand this work more fully, we would need to delve into archives related to Dutch landscape design and the history of recreational spaces during this period. By connecting artistic interpretation with historical context, we reveal the social and cultural values embedded in the landscape.