Gezicht op het kasteel van Schiplaken 1822 - 1825

Jean-Baptiste Madou made this print of Schiplaken Castle near Mechelen in Belgium at some point in the 19th century. It shows a neatly ordered estate, complete with a neoclassical villa, outbuildings and a strolling couple with their dogs. This image reflects the values of the Belgian elite in the decades after the Napoleonic wars. Castles like Schiplaken were not just residences, but symbols of social and economic power. In representing the castle and its grounds, Madou also subtly highlights the social hierarchy of the time. The well-dressed couple in the foreground embodies the ideal of the refined, land-owning class, enjoying the fruits of their estate. Art historians can learn a great deal about the cultural context of this print by consulting estate records, genealogical archives, and publications about the history of architecture and landscape design in Belgium. By studying such sources, we can better understand the social world that Madou's image both reflected and helped to shape.