Ruïne van het kasteel Borgvliet(?) 1643 - 1652

Jan van Goyen made this drawing of the Ruin of Borgvliet Castle with pen and grey ink and grey wash. The castle ruin motif was particularly popular in Dutch art from the 17th century onwards. But this wasn't because artists were interested in architectural history. Instead, the ruined castle became a sign of the times, a symbol for the decline of feudal institutions and aristocratic power. Here we see a family of commoners being pulled across the river. The focus is clearly on their everyday lives rather than on the crumbling remains of the castle. The Dutch Republic was forging a new identity in this period, in which the old order was giving way to a new kind of society, one centered on trade and civic life. To better understand the changing society of 17th-century Holland, historians consult a range of sources, including period maps, pamphlets, and probate inventories. Seen in this light, van Goyen’s drawing documents the social and political transformation of the Netherlands.