Gezicht op een stad 1825 - 1882

Jacobus Ludovicus Cornet created this etching, titled 'Gezicht op een stad' – or 'View of a City' – offering us a glimpse into 19th-century urban life. The image portrays a city, with its skyline punctuated by church spires and chimneys. The contrast between the natural and the industrial, highlights the period's shifting social and economic landscapes. During the 1800s, urbanization and industrialization dramatically altered the fabric of cities, impacting the lives of people across different social strata. As factories grew, so did the divide between the working class and the bourgeoisie, and the traditional ways of life started to erode. Cornet's etching invites us to consider the emotional experience of living through times of rapid change. Were people hopeful or anxious about these transformations? What did it mean to belong to a community in such circumstances? This etching serves as a mirror, reflecting back at us our own questions about progress, identity, and the human condition.