Befestigung, bei einem Kundeturm zwei Kanonen und ein Schilderhaus 1653

This is "Befestigung, bei einem Kundeturm zwei Kanonen und ein Schilderhaus" (Fortification with a Round Tower, Two Cannons and a Sentry Box) made by Jan van Goyen sometime between 1606 and 1656. Van Goyen lived and worked during the Dutch Golden Age, a time of immense economic and social change for the Netherlands as it transitioned from a territory under Spanish rule into a major maritime power. His landscapes often contain elements that are both documentary and imaginative, reflecting the shifting realities of the Dutch Republic. In this sketch, the fortification suggests military might, but the figures are small. What can be seen as his masterful technique also creates a sense of the everyday within the theater of war. Van Goyen’s rendering invites us to see conflict and the presence of military force as both a backdrop and a force that profoundly shaped ordinary lives and Dutch identity during this era.