Demonstratie van de slangbrandspuiten op de Westertoren te Amsterdam, ca. 1700 1690 - 1735

This is Laurens Scherm's etching of the Westertoren in Amsterdam, created around 1700. It depicts a demonstration of the city's new fire hoses. Amsterdam in this era was a hub of global trade, and with such dense populations, the threat of fire was ever present. The image stages the city's technological advancements as a source of civic pride and security. But beyond the show of municipal strength, this image is imbued with a particular vision of labor and social order. Note the meticulous rendering of the hoses and the tower itself, against the more generalized figures of the crowd. "Demonstratie van de slangbrandspuiten" subtly reinforces a hierarchy, where the collective well-being is ostensibly protected by the advancements made possible by the laboring class, while also reminding them of the power structures at play. What does it mean to find both comfort and control in such a display? How might this image's blend of progress and power resonate today?