Landschaft, vorne zwei Bäume, rechts eine Ruine, links ein Wasser und Felsen 

Jan Both created this landscape drawing with pen and brown ink in the mid-17th century, a time when Dutch artists were reimagining the natural world. Consider how landscapes were not just about scenery; they were also about identity and place. For Both, an artist who traveled to Italy, this scene reflects a longing and perhaps a reimagining of the Dutch relationship to the classical world of Italy. The ruin on the right hints at the weight of history, while the trees in the foreground offer a sense of rootedness. What does it mean to depict a landscape that is both familiar and foreign? This drawing invites us to reflect on the complex ways we relate to the spaces we inhabit and imagine. It's a reminder that landscapes are never just landscapes; they are mirrors of our own stories and histories.