Gezicht op gebouwen c. 1828 - 1897

This is Adrianus Eversen's sketch, "Gezicht op gebouwen," or "View of Buildings," crafted in the 19th century. Eversen, a Dutch artist, lived during a time of significant social and political change in Europe, as industrialization rapidly transformed urban landscapes. While this sketch might seem like a simple architectural study, consider the context in which it was made. Urbanization was changing not only the physical landscape but also the social fabric of cities, reshaping class structures and communities. Eversen, positioning himself as an observer of these shifts, offers us more than just an image of buildings. This sketch invites us to reflect on how places shape our identities and experiences. What is lost and what is gained when cities evolve? What kind of emotional connections can we forge with the architecture around us? In this way, Eversen’s work captures the intersection of personal identity and social space.