Stadsgezicht met het Zieken en Oude Vrouwenhuis en Kinderhuis aan het Spui te Den Haag 1765

Iven Besoet created this print, “Cityscape with the Hospital and Old Women's Home and Orphanage on the Spui in The Hague,” in the 18th century. Besoet invites us into a world meticulously ordered by social norms and class distinctions. The print captures a street scene teeming with life, yet carefully segregated. Note the contrast between the well-dressed figures strolling leisurely and the laborers engaged in physical tasks. Gender roles are also evident, with women depicted in domestic or subservient roles. This detailed cityscape serves as a mirror reflecting the stratified society of the Dutch Golden Age, inviting us to consider how urban spaces both shape and are shaped by the identities and experiences of its inhabitants. Besoet’s work compels us to reflect on the legacy of these social structures and their continued relevance in contemporary society.