De havezathe Heeckeren bij Goor, in Twente 1737 - 1784

Hendrik Spilman made this drawing of Heeckeren Manor near Goor in Twente, using pen and gray ink, around 1753. The materials themselves are quite simple; paper, a quill, and some iron gall ink, the standard for drawing at the time. The artist's hand delicately renders the architecture and landscape, focusing on the play of light and shadow. The ink's consistency allows for fine lines, capturing details of the building and the surrounding trees, a demonstration of the skillset Spilman spent years acquiring. But look closer, and you'll see the way the image elevates the status of the estate through its careful depiction. Drawings like this were often commissioned by landowners to document and celebrate their properties, reflecting a culture of landed gentry, power, and the labor required to maintain such estates. By focusing on the materials and the way they are manipulated, we can see how this image embodies the culture of its time, reminding us that even seemingly straightforward depictions are embedded with social and economic meaning.