The Camp at Zeist 1914

Rik Wouters made this watercolor, The Camp at Zeist, in 1914. It depicts the internment camp in the Netherlands where Wouters was held after being mobilized into the Belgian army at the start of World War I. Wouters’s light touch belies the harsh reality of the camp. The landscape is rendered in muted tones, creating a sense of melancholy and resignation. The buildings appear as simple shapes, devoid of detail or personality. The sky is overcast and heavy, reflecting the oppressive atmosphere of the camp. Wouters's status as a soldier and a prisoner shaped his perspective. Confined within the camp's boundaries, he found solace and meaning in the act of artistic creation. The painting then becomes an act of resistance against the dehumanizing conditions of war and captivity. By studying documents from the time, such as letters, military records, and camp administration archives, we can better understand the social and institutional context in which this artwork was created.