Kermisprent van de Amsterdamse straatveegsters, 1857 1857

This print, made in Amsterdam in 1857, portrays street sweepers at work. Its anonymous maker utilized the relatively inexpensive process of letterpress to create the image and text, which include a poem wishing fairgoers well. Consider how the printing medium itself shapes our perception. Because the image could be reproduced relatively quickly and cheaply, it speaks to a broad audience rather than an elite one. The very texture of the print, created by the pressing of type onto paper, conveys a sense of everyday life. The act of printing here isn't just a means of reproduction; it's a direct engagement with the social fabric of Amsterdam. The labor of the street sweepers, memorialized through this printed image, gains a kind of permanence. By focusing on the material and the making, we recognize the significance of even the most modest of objects. They’re not just images, but artifacts embedded with meaning about work, class, and community.