Park van Metternich met een jachthut 1869

Johannes Tavenraat sketched this view of Park van Metternich with a hunting lodge using graphite. Notice the fence, a motif laden with historical and psychological weight. Fences, both literal and metaphorical, have long served as potent symbols of division, protection, and exclusion. In ancient times, walls were erected around cities to protect inhabitants. Here, it marks territory, echoing similar boundaries seen throughout history. Think of the garden walls in medieval tapestries. They appear idyllic, but also underscore notions of ownership, status, and power. The fence also evokes a psychological barrier, the boundary between the known and the unknown, the self and the other. It also resonates with the emotional aspect of longing. This simple fence then becomes a powerful anchor, connecting us to enduring themes of human experience across time.