Spotprent over het nieuwe treinstation in Amsterdam 1886

This is Jan Holswilder’s lithograph, a cartoon of the new Amsterdam train station shortly after its completion. The image presents the station as a sinking, unstable structure. We can see ships floundering in the background. Caricatured figures in the foreground respond with alarm or bewilderment. It's hard to miss Holswilder's commentary on the disruptive impact of modernization on Amsterdam's traditional landscape. Completed in 1889, the Amsterdam Centraal station was built on three artificial islands. The location of the new station required the displacement of a significant portion of the city's harbor. This print vividly captures the anxieties that accompanied such large-scale urban transformation. By examining archival sources, urban plans, and public debates from the period, we can gain a deeper understanding of the social and political context surrounding the station's construction and of the artist's critique. Ultimately, this image prompts us to reflect on the complex relationship between progress, tradition, and the public role of art in shaping perceptions of change.