Nieuwjaarswens van de Amsterdamse nachtwacht voor het jaar 1848 1847 - 1848

Dirk Wijbrand Tollenaar created this print, “New Year's Wish from the Amsterdam Night Watch for the Year 1848.” It reflects the social and political climate in the Netherlands at that time. As part of a broader European trend, 1848 was a year of revolution. The print is visually divided into sections featuring Amsterdam cityscapes and decorative borders. At the center, there’s a poem expressing hopes for the new year. The Night Watch, essentially a community police force, sends greetings to the citizens. The year 1848 was one of social upheaval, and the Night Watch, as an institution, finds itself in a complex position. Are they guardians of the established order, or are they part of the community hoping for a better future? The poem suggests the latter, expressing hopes for peace and prosperity. To understand this print fully, we would want to consult archives about local history, police records, and political pamphlets from the period. This will provide a more complete picture of the complex social dynamics at play.