Landschap met overtoom 1875 - 1876

"Landschap met overtoom," or "Landscape with a portage," was etched by Johannes Arnoldus Boland, a Dutch artist born in the late 1830s. This detailed landscape offers a glimpse into 19th-century Dutch rural life. The portage itself, used to transport boats over land, is a reminder of the labor and ingenuity required for trade and travel in this period. The church in the background, a central structure of the town, gives this close-knit community a sense of shared identity and purpose. Boland’s choice to depict this scene invites us to consider how people interacted with and shaped their environment. The meticulous lines of the etching emphasize a connection to the land and the daily lives of its inhabitants. This piece is an invitation to reflect on a time when communities were tightly bound to their local landscapes and on how these interactions defined their culture and identity.