Gevel van het Bestelhuis van den Nederlandschen Boekhandel te Amsterdam 1891

This photo-lithograph of the façade of the Bestelhuis, or ‘Ordering House,’ of the Dutch Booksellers in Amsterdam, was made anonymously in 1881. It’s printed in ink, a medium perfectly suited to the mass production and dissemination of images. Lithography, invented in the late 18th century, allowed for detailed drawings to be reproduced quickly and cheaply. This particular print captures every nuance of the building's intricate façade. The precision of line suggests the careful hand of a skilled draughtsman, but also the efficiency of industrial printing. Consider that this image was created to promote the book trade, an industry which itself relies on the mass production and distribution of knowledge and culture. The building itself, with its ordered rows of windows, reflects the organization and systematization of the book trade. It’s a visual metaphor for the culture of commerce and consumption that was rapidly transforming European society at the time. Recognizing the interplay between materials, making, and context allows us to fully appreciate the historical and cultural significance of this print.