Gezicht op de buitenplaats 't Veldhoen, bij Baambrugge 1730

This etching, created by Abraham Rademaker, presents us with a vision of 't Veldhoen near Baambrugge. The estate, with its symmetrical facade and orderly fence, speaks of the Dutch Golden Age’s values of balance and prosperity. Consider the fence, a clear demarcation between public and private. Fences recur throughout art history, from medieval tapestries depicting enclosed gardens of courtly love to modern suburban landscapes. Psychologically, they represent boundaries, both physical and emotional, reflecting a universal desire for security and order. Think of the laura within the garden. How does it protect the mind from the outside world? Yet, such order can also evoke feelings of restriction, a yearning for the wild and untamed. It's this tension, between control and freedom, that continues to resonate across cultures and epochs. In essence, the image is not merely a representation of a place but a symbol of human aspirations and anxieties, continually renegotiated across time.