Noord-Hollandse woning te Zaandam 1842 - 1843

Willem van Senus’ monochrome drawing "Noord-Hollandse woning te Zaandam" offers a rigid study of architectural form. Made with delicate lines, the building's symmetrical facade and sharp angles dominate the composition, creating a sense of order and stability. Van Senus employs principles of structuralism, using the house's features—windows, doors, roof—as signs within a larger symbolic system. The windows, each identical in shape and evenly spaced, suggest rationalism. The doorway, framed by classical columns, acts as a threshold, mediating between public and private spheres. The image challenges fixed meanings through its starkness; the absence of vibrant colour directs us to perceive the underlying structure. Ultimately, this artwork pushes beyond simple representation, engaging with broader philosophical inquiries into space, perception, and the semiotic relationships between architectural form and lived experience. It is a cultural and philosophical discourse on order and structure.