Gezicht op de Zijlpoort te Haarlem, 1739 1739

Hendrik Spilman made this etching of the Zijlpoort in Haarlem in 1739. The scene presents a tranquil view of the city gate, but this was a time of significant social stratification and economic disparity in the Dutch Republic. Against this backdrop, Spilman's choice to depict the Zijlpoort as a serene, almost idyllic scene, raises questions about whose experiences are being centered. The gate itself, a physical barrier, symbolizes the divisions within society, controlling who and what could enter or leave the city. The lives of the wealthy merchants differed vastly from those of the working class, whose labor sustained the city’s prosperity. By focusing on the aesthetic beauty of the architecture, Spilman perhaps inadvertently obscures these underlying tensions. The Zijlpoort, framed by the artist’s hand, becomes more than just a structure; it's a lens through which we can reflect on the complexities of identity, history, and representation.