Kermisprent van de lantaarnopstekers van Amsterdam voor het jaar 1827 1827

This broadside print, titled "Kermisprent van de lantaarnopstekers van Amsterdam voor het jaar 1827," was created by Jacob Coldewijn. The print immediately strikes us with its composition, which is divided into distinct spatial zones. The upper portion presents an urban scene meticulously rendered with tight line work to create a dense tableau, where the horizon flattens and thrusts the buildings into the foreground. In the lower portion of the print, lines of text are neatly arranged, creating a structured textual space which anchors the visual scene above. The formal structure of the print— the interplay between the pictorial and textual elements— serves as a metaphor for the city itself. The print captures the essence of Amsterdam as an ordered society sustained by both labor and language.