Vierkante toren bij een bevroren rivier met kolfspelers 1614

Esaias van de Velde created this etching, titled "Square Tower by a Frozen River with Golfers", sometime during his lifetime, which spanned from 1587 to 1630. The linear composition of this landscape pulls our eyes towards a stark, square tower dominating the right side of the scene. The tower's verticality is countered by the frozen river stretching horizontally across the foreground, where figures are engaged in a game of "kolf," an early form of golf. Notice how van de Velde uses a simple network of fine lines to define forms and texture; from the bare trees to the crumbling brickwork of the tower. These etched lines create a detailed visual field. This etching plays with contrasts: nature versus architecture, activity versus stillness, decay versus perseverance. The frozen landscape is not merely a backdrop, but an active space where human activity and the stark reality of the natural world interact. In this way, the composition emphasizes a dynamic relationship between humanity and its environment.