Zuidlaan op landgoed Clingendael Possibly 1689 - 1746

Laurens Scherm crafted this print of the Zuidlaan on the Clingendael estate, using etching to capture its essence. The allée, a path lined with trees, is the main subject in this landscape, evoking a sense of order and control over nature. The allée is a motif stretching back to the formal gardens of the Renaissance and beyond. In ancient Roman villas, similar layouts symbolized power and civilization's triumph over the wild. Here, this layout suggests the imposition of human will on the natural world. The straight lines and symmetry reflect an ordered, rational worldview. This symbol echoes in palace grounds across Europe, each time carrying the weight of ambition and dominance. The allée, in its unchanging form, embodies the enduring human desire to shape the world according to our ideals. Yet, beneath its calculated appearance, it invites a deep-seated psychological connection to the power and permanence of human endeavor.