Kermisprent van de Amsterdamse ratelwacht voor het jaar 1763 1763

This 1763 anonymous broadside, a type of printed poster common in the 17th and 18th centuries, depicts a scene from the Dutch city of Amsterdam. The piece is filled with detailed illustrations and text written in Dutch, though it is unclear what the exact subject matter is. This type of artwork was often used for promotional purposes, such as announcing events or advertising goods, and might have been used in a public setting to inform passersby about an event, perhaps a market or fair. The title suggests that this broadside might have been intended to be used for a fair or market, possibly one related to the Amsterdam Ratelwacht (literally “rattle watch”), a group of watchmen who patrolled the city at night, looking for fires and other dangers.