Poortje van het Athenaeum Illustre aan de Oudezijds Voorburgwal, gesticht in 1631 19th century

This print by J.H.L. v. K. depicts the ‘Poortje van het Athenaeum Illustre’, or gate of the Athenaeum Illustre, in Amsterdam. The Athenaeum Illustre was founded in 1631 to provide higher education in the city. The image creates meaning through its depiction of everyday life around an institute of learning. Looking at the architecture we see the architectural style is typical of the Dutch Golden Age, which was a period of great economic and cultural flourishing. The building is formal and imposing, but the artist has chosen to show its lived reality in Amsterdam. The buildings are covered in snow and a man is clearing the ice from a canal. Studying Dutch history and the archives of the Athenaeum Illustre itself would help us understand the institution's role. Considering the city's social and economic structure, we can understand more fully the role of institutes of learning and consider how they shape public life.