Voorzijde van de nieuwe beurs van Zocher te Amsterdam, 1845 1846

Dirk Jurriaan Sluyter created this print in 1845, depicting Zocher's new stock exchange in Amsterdam. In the 19th century, Amsterdam was a city undergoing rapid economic and social transformation. This print of the stock exchange, a critical site of economic activity, reflects the values and the social hierarchy of the period. The stock exchange was where fortunes were made and lost, and where the city’s elite consolidated their power. Although women were becoming increasingly active in the public sphere, they remained largely excluded from these financial circles. Sluyter's print, with its emphasis on architectural grandeur, can be seen to subtly reinforce the era's gendered norms and power dynamics. The building itself becomes a symbol of a patriarchal society, highlighting the limited roles available to women in the economic sphere. This piece offers us insight into the narratives that shaped 19th-century Amsterdam, and the ways in which art both reflected and perpetuated the prevailing social order.