Zicht vanaf de Zuidsingel op de Kamperbinnenpoort te Amersfoort 1849 - 1895

Willem Koekkoek created this pencil drawing, titled 'View from the Zuidsingel on the Kamperbinnenpoort in Amersfoort,' in the Netherlands at an unknown date. The Kamperbinnenpoort was one of eight gates in the city wall of Amersfoort. This image is a quick sketch. It shows the architectural structure of the gate and the surrounding buildings. The marks are light and loose, without much attention to detail. As this is a sketch, it does not seem intended for public display. Instead, its purpose would be to explore the possibilities for a later painting. Koekkoek came from a family of well-known painters, who produced idealized landscapes of the Netherlands. Knowing this artistic and institutional history, we may assume that the artist was interested in depicting this city gate to create another version of Dutch history. We could consult city archives to better understand what this location meant to the artist and his contemporaries.