The so-called Boerenverdriet on the Spui, Amsterdam 1750 - 1781

This is Jan Ekels the Elder's painting of the Spui in Amsterdam, a serene slice of 18th-century Dutch life rendered with oil on canvas. In Ekels' time, the Dutch Republic was a major maritime power, yet social stratification quietly persisted in its urban spaces. The title, "So-called Boerenverdriet," carries a particular cultural resonance. 'Boerenverdriet' translates to "Farmers' Grief," referencing a type of fabric, perhaps alluding to the complex relationship between the rural and urban, the producer and consumer. The figures on the canal represent everyday life and labor within this economic system. Ekels presents a seemingly calm, orderly scene. Yet, it invites us to consider whose stories are absent. Where are the voices of those who tilled the land? Where are the perspectives of women who were so often marginalized? The painting, in its tranquil beauty, subtly prompts a re-evaluation of historical narratives and the silent power dynamics that shape our understanding of the past.