Gezicht vanuit Huis de Voorst op de tuinen, Huis 't Velde en Doesburg c. 1700

Pieter Schenk created this print, "View from Huis de Voorst on the gardens, Huis 't Velde and Doesburg," sometime between 1660 and 1711, the years of his life. It offers us a window into the spatial and social hierarchies of the Dutch Golden Age. Schenk’s engraving depicts an ordered, geometric garden, a stark contrast to the wildness of nature beyond. This controlled landscape speaks to the power and wealth of the estate's owner, reflecting a desire to tame and display command over the natural world. The manicured gardens and distant cityscape symbolize a culture deeply invested in commerce and global trade. Consider, though, who is missing from this picture. The labor required to maintain such a landscape is absent, obscuring the lives and work of those who made this vision possible. Schenk's print, while beautiful, subtly reinforces a social structure built on inequality. It prompts us to reflect on the stories that are told and, more importantly, on those that are left untold.