Gezicht van de Geeste verschijning op de Oude Schans. beginende in den Avond om 8½ ure den 8 en 9 October 1833. te Amsterdam 1833

Hartog Abrahams Swaluw created this print, titled 'View of the Ghost Appearance on the Oude Schans,' in Amsterdam around 1833. The printmaking process itself, likely etching or engraving, allowed for the wide dissemination of images and ideas in the 19th century. Here, the fine lines and tonal contrasts capture a specific moment in time, perhaps a public spectacle or local event. The image shows a crowd gathered at night, with the architecture of Amsterdam serving as a backdrop. The work's material—cheap paper—speaks to the growth of a mass audience for images, and the labor involved in producing such prints would have been considerable. The social context of 1830s Amsterdam, with its growing urban population and changing social structures, is crucial to understanding the print's appeal. Swaluw’s print invites us to consider the relationship between art, commerce, and the public sphere. By considering the materials, making, and context we see how 'low' art is connected to the wider world.