Gezicht op een molen vanaf de Rijnoever 1648 - 1671

Jan de Bisschop made this artwork titled 'View of a mill from the banks of the Rhine' with pen in brown ink around the mid-17th century. The image presents us with a vision of the economic landscape of the Dutch Republic. The prominence of the mill on the left, a technology used to drain the low-lying land for agriculture and industry, is notable. Windmills harnessed natural power for economic gain. The distant view of houses and a church steeple place the mill within a broader social context, hinting at the communities that benefited from its operation. De Bisschop's choice to depict the landscape is interesting as the Dutch Republic was in its Golden Age, a period of unprecedented economic growth and social change. Archival records, economic histories, and studies of Dutch art provide deeper insights into the cultural values and social structures that influenced De Bisschop.