Studieblad 1890 - 1946

Cornelis Vreedenburgh made this sketch on paper. The seemingly simple scene of architectural elements invites us to think about the artist's broader engagement with urban spaces. Vreedenburgh was working in the Netherlands during the first half of the twentieth century, a period of significant urban development and social change. Notice how the sketch focuses on the structural aspects of the building. Are these details about how the Dutch saw themselves, their culture, and their place in the world? By studying Vreedenburgh's sketchbooks, architectural plans, and social histories of the Netherlands, we can uncover the layers of meaning embedded in this seemingly straightforward image. Approaching a work like this requires the historian to think about the society that gave rise to it.