Titelprent met stadspoort en omliggende huizen 1768 - 1772

This print of a city gate and surrounding houses was etched by Nicolas Pérignon, a French artist, in the latter half of the 18th century. It’s a seemingly simple image, but it hints at the social conditions of its time. Consider how the architecture speaks to power and defense, while the figures hint at everyday life within its walls. The artist's inscription tells us that he drew this 'after nature', implying a direct observation of the world. But what does it mean to represent a landscape 'naturally'? Was Pérignon aiming for a kind of objective truth, or was he also shaping the scene to fit certain cultural ideals about the relationship between town and country? To fully understand this print, we might turn to period maps, architectural surveys, and social histories. By situating the image within its original context, we start to see how it reflects, and perhaps even subtly critiques, the institutions and social structures of its time.