Gezicht op een kasteel 1766

Caspar Jacobsz. Philips created this etching, "Gezicht op een kasteel," or "View of a Castle," during the late 18th century, a period marked by significant social stratification. Philips, working within the Dutch artistic tradition, offers us a glimpse into the architecture of power. This work invites us to reflect on the castle as more than just stone and mortar, but as a symbol of authority. From this perspective, the castle looms, and the bridge suggests a point of connection, but also of division. The bridge acts as both passage and barrier, embodying the complex relationship between those within the castle walls and those outside. Such landscapes served not only as aesthetic appreciation, but also as assertions of identity and status. Philips encourages us to consider the emotional and material realities of those living in its shadow.