Het stadhuis van Buren 1757

Hendrik Spilman made this drawing of the town hall of Buren using pen and brown ink and brush in the eighteenth century. It shows us the Dutch Republic, a society whose political and economic life was dominated by its cities. Dutch cities were governed by councils of powerful merchants whose wealth came from overseas trade. The town hall building in this image speaks of that civic power and its roots in commerce. The architecture is rooted in medieval forms but updated with classical details, and the overall effect speaks of wealth, stability, and tradition. The people in the image further emphasize the commercial activity of the town. We can learn more about the Republic through sources like period newspapers, pamphlets, and travel writing. As historians, our job is to read images like this one alongside those kinds of sources and understand Dutch art as part of the fabric of Dutch society.