Gracht mit zwei Ruderbooten 

Jacob van Strij created "Gracht mit zwei Ruderbooten," or "Canal with Two Rowboats," using watercolor and pen. Van Strij lived through a revolutionary period, witnessing both the Dutch Republic's decline and the rise of new social orders. The artwork presents a slice of 18th-century Dutch life. The figures in the boats are possibly working-class individuals engaged in trade or transport. Their interactions suggest a community dependent on the waterways for their livelihoods. The architecture, with its aging facades and functional design, speaks to the practical concerns of a society balancing tradition and change. Van Strij’s decision to depict this scene reflects a broader artistic interest in everyday life. The canal becomes a stage for the unfolding dramas of ordinary people, capturing a sense of place and time marked by social and economic realities.