Bal in het Stadhuis, 1768 1772

Reinier Vinkeles made this etching called, "Ball in the Town Hall" in 1768. It shows a grand celebration inside Amsterdam's city hall, now the Royal Palace. The image highlights the architecture's splendor and offers insight into Amsterdam's civic life during the Dutch Golden Age. The city hall itself served as a stage for social rituals, a place where elites performed their status through elaborate displays of dress and dance. Vinkeles was commissioned to create an image that would commemorate a particular event. The Dutch Republic was governed by regents, wealthy citizens who controlled the city councils. By the 1760s, the power of the regents had grown. The Dutch stadtholder, Prince William V, was restored to power in 1766. The celebrations depicted here were organised to welcome the Prince into the fold. By researching Amsterdam's civic records from the 1760s, we can better understand the intricate relationship between art, power, and social life in this period.