Nieuwjaarswens van de Amsterdamse nachtwacht voor het jaar 1854 1853 - 1854

Friedrich Robert Prinz created this New Year's greeting card for the Amsterdam night watch in 1854, using the relatively new medium of lithography. This process allowed for the detailed reproduction of images and text, making it perfect for mass-produced items. The buildings depicted, rendered with sharp precision, likely represent important civic structures in Amsterdam. The overall effect is one of civic pride, with the text celebrating the role of the night watch in maintaining order. Lithography democratized image-making, taking it out of the hands of individual artists and putting it into a mode of industrial production. We can consider this print in relation to wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. The piece isn't simply a decorative object but also a document of its time, reflecting the industrialization of art and its connection to wider social systems.