Gezicht op de nieuwe Korenbeurs in Amsterdam 1787

This is an engraving of the New Stock Exchange in Amsterdam, made in 1780 by an anonymous artist. We see the Exchange bustling with activity, rendered in precise detail. In the 18th century, Amsterdam was a global hub of trade and finance, deeply entangled with colonial economies. The Exchange was the epicenter of this activity, a physical manifestation of the city's economic power, and a site where fortunes were made and lost. The image is more than just a depiction of a building; it is a window into a society grappling with wealth and inequality. The Exchange’s prosperity relied heavily on the labor and exploitation of enslaved people. The image invites us to consider whose stories are missing from this seemingly neutral depiction of commerce. How does acknowledging the full historical context change our understanding of this image and the society it represents?