Gezicht op de Herengracht naar de Spiegel- en Vijselstraat 1713 - 1766

Editor: Here we have Hendrik de Leth’s "View of the Herengracht towards the Spiegel and Vijzelstraat," a print, dating somewhere between 1713 and 1766. There’s something so peaceful and ordered about this cityscape, almost staged. What’s your interpretation of a scene like this from a historical perspective? Curator: The “peaceful” order you perceive is fascinating because it reflects the image Amsterdam’s elite cultivated in the 18th century. Prints like these weren't just topographical records; they served a crucial role in constructing and disseminating an image of civic pride and prosperity. This section of the Herengracht, one of the main canals, was inhabited by Amsterdam’s wealthiest merchants. Editor: So, you’re saying that what seems like a simple landscape is actually communicating something about power? Curator: Precisely! Consider the meticulous detail with which De Leth depicts the architecture. Every window, every brick is carefully rendered. And notice who occupies the street – figures of wealth and leisure. This idealized view deliberately omits the messier realities of urban life – poverty, disease, and social unrest that were also present. What is this image *not* showing us? Editor: I see your point. It’s almost like a form of propaganda, promoting a specific narrative. And by making and distributing prints, these images were shared far and wide… influencing perception of Amsterdam at the time? Curator: Exactly. These images solidified the elite's control not just economically, but ideologically, by shaping how the city and its inhabitants were perceived both domestically and internationally. It also played a part in Amsterdam’s developing tourist industry; what better way to attract wealthy visitors than to market the beauty of your city through idealized prints such as this. Editor: It’s fascinating to see how much can be read into what at first seems like just a pretty picture. I'll never look at a cityscape the same way again. Curator: And I now am thinking more about the labor that made those grand houses possible! Art helps us to reconsider embedded social structures and their impact.