Gezicht op de vijver in de tuin van buitenplaats Zorgwijk en gezicht op buitenplaats Zorgwijk 1725 - 1768

This anonymous print shows Zorgwijk country house in the Netherlands. The image offers us not just a view of a building, but of an entire environment, and tells us something about the social life connected to that environment. Made without color, the image creates meaning through the contrast between architecture and nature, both of which are highly managed. The formal garden and pond were status symbols during this period, reflecting the owner's wealth and control over the landscape. Social class is subtly communicated through the figures strolling through the garden. As historians, we can turn to estate records, social histories of the Dutch Golden Age, and studies of garden design to understand the values and aspirations embedded in this image. Such research allows us to understand the critical social and institutional contexts within which such artworks were produced and consumed.