Burgerzaal in het Stadhuis op de Dam te Amsterdam 1765

Editor: This is “Burgerzaal in het Stadhuis op de Dam te Amsterdam,” a drawing by Paulus van Liender, from 1765. It's quite striking—the scale is immense, and the perspective really draws you in. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a fascinating intersection of power, class, and civic identity on display. This isn't just a pretty picture of a building; it's a representation of the Dutch Republic at a crucial point in its history. The Burgerzaal, the Citizen’s Hall, was designed to impress, to communicate Amsterdam’s wealth and influence through Neoclassical grandeur. But who really benefited from that wealth? Editor: So you're saying there’s a contrast between the intended message and the reality? Curator: Exactly. Think about the people depicted within the hall. Who had access to this space, and whose labor created it? We need to ask: Whose stories are not being told? The figures here are likely elites, engaged in commerce and governance, while the lives of enslaved people and marginalized communities who contributed to Amsterdam’s prosperity remain absent from the frame, rendered invisible. The architectural elements, seemingly celebrating civic pride, could also symbolize exclusion. Editor: That’s a really interesting point about whose stories are missing. It changes how I see the artwork completely. Curator: By interrogating these visual absences, we gain a richer understanding of the complex power dynamics embedded within even the most seemingly benign representations of civic space. Does viewing it this way change your impression of the Hall now? Editor: Yes, it feels much more layered. Thanks, I’ll definitely think about that perspective from now on.