Park van slot Karlberg met op een heuvel de jachttempel Dianeberg 1693

Willem Swidde created this print of Karlberg Park around the late 17th century. The composition is immediately striking, with the Dianeberg temple perched atop a hill, dominating the scene. The meticulous lines of the engraving create a sense of depth, drawing the eye from the foreground with its fountain, up the meandering paths, to the centralized temple. Swidde's use of perspective flattens the space, compressing the park's vastness into a series of organized tiers, each carefully delineated with distinct patterns of foliage and architecture. Consider the semiotic implications here; the temple, elevated and remote, signifies not only architectural elegance but also alludes to ideas of leisure. This elevated status, rendered through formal means, invites us to consider how power and privilege are inscribed into the very fabric of the landscape. The park becomes a stage, each element contributing to a carefully constructed vision of order and control.