Gezicht op een hoekhuis aan een gracht in Amsterdam 1848 - 1902

Frans Schikkinger made this etching of a corner house on an Amsterdam canal sometime in the late 19th century. The scene speaks to the transformations that Amsterdam was undergoing at the time. We can see that the building itself is substantial, suggesting the wealth of its inhabitants, and it’s on a corner, suggesting a position of some prominence. Meanwhile, however, the trees soften the hard edges of the architecture. They speak to a growing appreciation for nature and a desire to integrate it into the urban landscape. This etching may reflect the rising middle class, who had the wealth to enjoy the finer things in life but also valued a connection to nature. By studying city archives, period maps, and social histories, we can better understand how such images participated in shaping the identity of Amsterdam and its people. The art historian views art as fundamentally embedded in its social and institutional context.