Het Riddermatig Huys te Wissen 1739

Jan de Beijer made this pen drawing titled 'Het Riddermatig Huys te Wissen' around 1743. It depicts a moated manor house in the Netherlands. The image offers a glimpse into the Dutch countryside and the distribution of power. The manor house, with its imposing architecture, signifies the presence of the landed gentry who exercised local authority. At the time, the Dutch Republic was dominated by a wealthy merchant class, but the old aristocracy continued to wield influence in rural areas. De Beijer’s drawing documents their place in the landscape. The presence of the moat reflects the history of fortification and defense, though by the 18th century such features were more symbolic than practical. As a historian, I am interested in the social conditions that made such images possible. Artists like De Beijer depended on commissions from wealthy patrons who wanted visual records of their estates. By studying estate records and other archival sources, we can better understand how this drawing functioned within the social and economic networks of its time.