Gezicht op het water van de Oudezijds Achterburgwal en de achterzijde van de Zeedijk in Amsterdam Possibly 1894 - 1898

George Hendrik Breitner created this photograph of the Oudezijds Achterburgwal in Amsterdam using a gelatin silver print technique. The image offers us a glimpse into the daily life and urban fabric of late 19th-century Amsterdam. Breitner's choice of subject matter, focusing on the back side of the Zeedijk, is significant. Rather than grand boulevards, he captures the more gritty, everyday realities of the city. We see buildings displaying a variety of commercial advertisements, revealing a society increasingly shaped by consumer culture. The way the buildings loom over the water hints at the way that the architecture is physically shaped by the demands of commerce, and the limited space available in the city. To fully appreciate this photograph, one needs to consider the social and economic transformations occurring in Amsterdam during this period. Consulting historical maps, census records, and trade directories can give us a fuller understanding of the photograph. Through such inquiry, we can better understand the relationship between art, society, and the evolving urban landscape.