Scheepswerf aan een bevroren kanaal 1613

Claes Jansz. Visscher created this print of a shipyard on a frozen canal, using etching techniques, sometime in the early to mid-17th century. The scene depicts daily life during a harsh winter in the Netherlands. The frozen canal becomes a public space for leisure, while the shipyard continues its work, adapting to the cold. Visscher’s detailed depiction of the social landscape reflects the cultural and economic conditions of the Dutch Golden Age, a period marked by prosperity, trade, and a flourishing of the arts. The print offers insight into the social structures of the time, with people from different walks of life sharing the same icy stage. To fully appreciate this work, one might delve into archives of the period, exploring how Dutch society navigated the challenges and opportunities presented by its unique geography and climate. The meaning of this seemingly simple scene reveals itself in its social and institutional context.