Amsterdamse grachtenhuizen aan de Keizersgracht 518-526 1696 - 1706

This is an undated, anonymous, pen and brown ink and watercolour drawing of Amsterdam canal houses on the Keizersgracht 518-526. The Dutch Golden Age saw a rise in global trade and a newfound sense of civic identity. As merchants grew wealthy, they invested in impressive homes that lined Amsterdam’s canals. However, this prosperity was built on the exploitation of enslaved people. This drawing captures the architecture of these houses, but it also invites us to consider the complex social structures and histories they represent. Who lived in these houses? Who built them? What stories do these walls hold? These buildings stand as silent witnesses to both the grandeur and the injustices of their time.