De weg naar het Huis ter Nieuburch in Rijswijk, 1697 1697

This print by Jan van Vianen, dating from 1697, captures the road to Huis ter Nieuburch in Rijswijk, a site of peace conferences. The dominant motif here is the straight road itself, lined with trees, a symbol of ordered progress and diplomatic passage. Consider how similar avenues appear in Roman triumphal arches, or even processional routes in ancient Egypt, each designed to convey power and purpose. Here, the road leads to a resolution, a cessation of conflict. Yet, the very act of striving for peace can stir deep anxieties. The road, a seemingly neutral conduit, becomes charged with the hopes and fears of those who travel it. This image is not merely a depiction of a physical place, but an echo of humanity’s enduring quest for harmony. The collective memory of past conflicts subtly informs our experience, projecting both the desire for peace and the fear of its fragility onto this path.