Gezicht op de Korenbeurs te Amsterdam 1663 - 1664

Jacob van Meurs made this print of the Amsterdam Koornbeurs, or Grain Exchange, at an unknown date. Van Meurs' image offers us a window into the economic and social fabric of 17th-century Amsterdam. We see the Exchange, a bustling hub of commerce, where grain was traded, a commodity vital to the city's sustenance. Its architecture, grand and imposing, reflects the importance of trade to Amsterdam's identity. The ships docked nearby are evidence of the international reach of Dutch trade during its Golden Age. The Koornbeurs exemplifies how Dutch society organised itself around trade and the markets. The social life of the Exchange is also on display. The print is full of finely drawn figures who populate the space, from merchants to laborers, each playing their part in the grain trade. The clothing of the people suggests their social standing. Van Meurs’ image highlights the importance of grain to Amsterdam, and the social conditions that shape artistic production. By looking at historical records, we can understand the meaning of art as something contingent on social and institutional context.