Stadsgezicht met een brug over een kanaal 1888 - 1889

Alexander Shilling rendered this cityscape with pencil, capturing a bridge over a canal. Shilling, a Londoner, frequently depicted scenes from the Netherlands, and this drawing is a classic view. During Shilling’s lifetime, the Netherlands was undergoing significant shifts in identity, moving from a colonial power to a more inward-looking, neutral nation. Artists like Shilling were both observers and interpreters of this evolving cultural landscape. His choice to represent serene, everyday scenes, rather than grand historical events, speaks to a desire to highlight the quiet dignity of Dutch life. While seemingly straightforward, this work also raises questions about the gaze. As a British artist, Shilling's view of the Netherlands could be seen as an outsider's perspective, potentially romanticizing or simplifying the complexities of Dutch society. The piece invites us to consider how national identity is constructed and perceived, both from within and from afar.