Het Clarissenklooster te Amsterdam, ca. 1544 1760

This is an anonymous print of the Clarissen Monastery in Amsterdam, dating from around 1544. It gives us insight into the institutional and religious landscape of the city at the time. The print presents a detailed rendering of the monastery’s architecture. It is set against the backdrop of the burgeoning city, but the building is framed within a decorative cartouche, suggesting the importance and status of the institution. The Clarissen order, also known as the Poor Clares, was a Franciscan religious order for women. Its presence in Amsterdam highlights the influence of religious orders on the social and spiritual life of the city. The print can be read as a document of the religious and social values of Amsterdam during the early modern period. By studying sources from the city archives, religious texts and related visual materials, we can understand the place of the Clarissen Monastery within the fabric of Amsterdam life.