Summer 1625

Jan van Goyen painted this round panel, entitled ‘Summer’, using oil paints. At first glance, this appears to be a simple, serene landscape with its mill and figures gathering near the water. However, the windmill in the background is more than just a picturesque detail; it is a profound symbol of human industry set against the natural world. From antiquity, the turning wheel, like the windmill’s sails, has signified cycles of life and labor. You see echoes of this motif in Byzantine prayer wheels, or even in mandalas which represent the cosmos. In Van Goyen's painting, this symbol shifts. The windmill becomes inextricably linked to the landscape, and, by extension, to the national identity of the Netherlands. It appears not just as a machine but as a stoic watchman over the land, evoking a sense of cultural pride and continuity. Even today, the windmill stands tall in the collective memory.