Gezigt van de overstrooming en het wegspoelen der Lagendijk in de / gemeente Koog aan de Zaan, op den 5 february A 1825 1825 - 1827

This etching, made in 1825 by an anonymous artist, shows the flooded Lagendijk in Koog aan de Zaan. The printmaking process itself—biting lines into a metal plate with acid, inking, and then pressing the image onto paper—is crucial to understanding the image. The stark black lines and the absence of color emphasize the scene's bleakness. Note how the etching technique allows for fine detail, capturing the texture of the churning water and the rough-hewn quality of the architecture, dominated by windmills. These mills were essential to the Dutch economy, yet here they seem vulnerable, almost overtaken by the flood. The print also speaks to broader social issues. The flood was a natural disaster that devastated the community and their place of work. Consider the labor required to rebuild the damaged infrastructure, a task that would have fallen on the working class, mirroring the labor-intensive craft of etching itself. By focusing on material, process, and social context, we can appreciate the powerful impact of this seemingly simple print.