Laan in de tuin van Paleis het Loo 1908 - 1909

Simon Moulijn made this print, Laan in de tuin van Paleis het Loo, using etching. Here, we see the grounds of the Paleis het Loo, a former royal palace that became a national museum in 1984. Moulijn was active at the turn of the 20th century in the Netherlands, a time when museums were solidifying their role in shaping national identity. His choice to depict this site speaks to this trend. The straight lines of the path and architecture offer a sense of order and control that reflects the values of the time. The print presents a sanitised view of nature. It lacks any evidence of agriculture, the working classes, or the wider imperial project that underpinned the Netherlands' wealth at the time. Understanding this work means looking at its history. Archival sources from the palace itself, alongside studies of museum development in the Netherlands, help us understand how this image is embedded in ideas about national identity and cultural heritage.