Gezicht op de paardenmarkt of hoofdmarkt, te Frankfurt am Main 1738

Georg Daniel Heumann created this black ink drawing depicting the horse market or main market in Frankfurt am Main. Heumann, born in Nuremberg, was a German engraver and etcher. This market square wasn’t merely a place of commerce, but also a social theater where the city's class structure played out. The local elites are displayed riding their horses, while commoners can be seen transporting goods. The architecture of the buildings, with their varying styles, serves as a backdrop that subtly signals the economic disparities of the time. Can you imagine how the identities of the people present in the town’s square would influence how they experienced it? Heumann’s strategic composition offers a wide perspective of the square to draw attention to the complexities of urban life. The drawing offers a snapshot of a society in transition. It reminds us that urban spaces are not neutral stages, but sites of encounter, negotiation, and contestation.