Het Huis met de Hoofden te Amsterdam 1870 - 1926

Willem Wenckebach’s "Het Huis met de Hoofden te Amsterdam" is an early 20th-century print depicting a canal-side view of a Dutch Golden Age building. Amsterdam in the 1900s was witnessing a surge of interest in its own history, particularly the 17th century, which was considered the high point of Dutch power and culture. Wenckebach’s print taps into this cultural mood, as it presents a direct and unidealized view of an important historic building. The title, "The House with the Heads," refers to the sculpted heads adorning the façade, which serve as a form of visual branding. The building is represented in a straightforward, unromanticized way, reflecting a modern sensibility valuing authenticity. The choice of printmaking as a medium also democratizes the image. As art historians, we look to sources such as period guidebooks, architectural studies, and social histories to understand the cultural values and the institutional frameworks that shaped both the creation and the reception of art. By doing so, we can understand the ways in which this print both reflects and contributes to the ongoing construction of Dutch cultural identity.