Cottage and boundary post on the Spaarndammerdijk ('L'Obelisque')

"Cottage and boundary post on the Spaarndammerdijk ('L'Obelisque')" is a celebrated print created by Rembrandt van Rijn around 1650. Executed on paper, this detailed landscape belongs to the artist's mature period, during which he extensively documented the rural areas immediately surrounding Amsterdam. The composition focuses on a solitary dwelling near the dike, identifiable by the distinctive tall boundary marker, known as 'L'Obelisque,' which gives the work its subtitle.

Rijn was a preeminent master of etching and drypoint, and the delicate line work and atmospheric quality present in this piece exemplify his approach to landscape prints. Unlike the dramatic figural subjects of his earlier career, the landscapes of the 1640s and 1650s are characterized by serene observation and the masterful use of negative space to suggest the vastness of the Dutch skies. This particular image captures the essential flatness and quiet industry of the seventeenth-century Dutch environment. Rijn utilizes fine cross-hatching to define shadow and texture, most notably in the thatched roof of the cottage and the surrounding dense foliage.

The meticulous attention to topographical detail within this print has made it a key study for understanding both the artist’s graphic development and the appearance of the era's infrastructure near the capital city. As an essential piece from the Dutch Golden Age, this work is held in the renowned collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Due to its historical significance and age, high-quality images of Cottage and boundary post on the Spaarndammerdijk ('L'Obelisque') are often placed in the public domain, making this masterful example of Rijn’s output accessible globally.