Riviergezicht aan de Vecht 1636 - 1687

Jacob Esselens created this delicate pen drawing, “River View on the Vecht”, during the Dutch Golden Age, a period of immense economic prosperity for the Netherlands, largely fueled by maritime trade. Esselens’s drawing invites us to consider the relationship between the land and the burgeoning merchant class. The tranquil river scene, punctuated by sailboats, speaks to a society in motion, both literally and figuratively. But the drawing is not just about commerce; it's about the Dutch relationship to the land. Canals and rivers are depicted as central to Dutch life, as vital arteries connecting communities and commerce. Notice the level of detail he employed, from the reflections in the water to the dense foliage on the riverbank. In considering Esselens's landscape, we might also think of how the concept of "landscape" itself is loaded with cultural and social values, reflecting not just what is seen, but also how it is seen and by whom.