The Castle Giessenburg, near Gorinchem

In this peaceful scene set in the Dutch countryside, a canal runs alongside a tall, thin castle. By the 1640s, when Roelant Roghman drew it, this former military building had been converted into a luxurious country house. Signs of its military past are visible in the crenellated roofline, with alternating open spaces from which armed guards could defend the castle and shield themselves.

This drawing is typical of Roghman's style in that the primary focus is the castle's architectural presence, while the landscape is secondary. The castle has a monumental quality; its chimney decorations rise to the top of the page. Sharp diagonal lines radiate from the tops of the upper-floor windows, suggesting decorative brick archways above each. Also, the drawing's sharpest details are found in the man-made structures--the castle doorway and the bridge--while the trees nearby and in the distant grove at right appear almost blurred.

Digital image and text courtesy of the Getty's Open Content Program.