De omgeving van Rotterdam bij de Oostpoort met bevroren stadsgracht 1701 - 1759

Cornelis Pronk created this pen and brown ink drawing, titled "The Surroundings of Rotterdam at the Oostpoort with Frozen City Canal", during the Dutch Golden Age. The image presents a detailed view of daily life in Rotterdam, with figures engaging in various activities on the frozen canal. Windmills punctuate the background landscape. It is important to recognize that these scenes of everyday life often obscure the complex social and economic systems upon which they were built. The Dutch Golden Age was a time of immense prosperity due to global trade, including the exploitation of enslaved people. Therefore, while Pronk's drawing offers a glimpse into the past, it is also a reminder of the intertwined histories of prosperity, labor, and social inequality. It invites us to consider whose stories are told and whose are left out of the picture.