Binnenzijde omslag voor: beschrijving van afbeeldingen van gezichten te of bij Utrecht 1809 - 1843

This is a lithograph by Cornelis van Hardenbergh, an endpaper for a collection of views of the city of Utrecht, likely made in the early 19th century. During this time, Utrecht was a city marked by its rich history as a religious center and its growing importance as a trade hub within the Netherlands. This image, as the cover for a collection of city views, speaks to a growing sense of civic pride and perhaps even a marketing strategy to attract visitors and investment to the area. The lithographic process itself allowed for the relatively quick and inexpensive reproduction of images, making art more accessible to a broader public. The text provides information about the publisher, L.P. Houtman, and the location where the collection was sold, highlighting the commercial aspect of art production and distribution. Understanding this image fully requires delving into archives and business records to uncover more about the artists, publishers, and the local institutions that helped shape Utrecht’s cultural identity.