Gezicht op het Sterrenbos in de tuin van Huis ter Meer te Maarssen c. 1740

Hendrik de Leth's print presents us with a view through the 'Star Wood' in the gardens of Huis ter Meer, a constructed natural space. Symmetrical rows of trees stretch into the distance, punctuated by archways and glimpses of classical statuary. Consider the star as a symbol; throughout history, it has represented guidance and destiny. Here, the 'Star Wood' implies a designed path, a journey through life orchestrated by human will. This notion echoes in the Renaissance concept of the 'locus amoenus', an idealised natural setting that embodies both harmony and control. But this carefully controlled nature contrasts with the wild, untamed aspects of human nature. The image subtly reveals a desire to impose order on the organic, to sculpt not just the landscape but also our innermost selves. This tension between the constructed and the inherent is a recurring theme in art and life, reflecting our eternal quest to reconcile our inner wilderness with the structured world we create around us.