Gezicht op het Nieuwe Bestedelingenhuis van de Hervormde Diaconie aan de Nieuwe Herengracht te Amsterdam 1791

This undated print shows the New Almshouse of the Reformed Diaconate on the Nieuwe Herengracht in Amsterdam. It was made anonymously. The image gives us a window onto the social structures of the Dutch Republic. By the 17th century, Amsterdam was a major center for trade and finance, attracting a large number of migrants and creating considerable wealth as well as poverty. Institutions like the Reformed Diaconate and their almshouses played a critical role in providing social support to those in need. This print invites us to consider the role of religious organizations in addressing social inequality and poverty in the Dutch Republic. Historians of social welfare, urban development, and religious history can offer additional insights into the context and significance of this image. What impact did these institutions have on the lives of the poor? What can it tell us about the relationship between state, church, and civil society?