Buiten de Tolsteegpoort te Utrecht c. 1745 - 1785

Anthonij van der Haer created this etching, "Buiten de Tolsteegpoort te Utrecht," which translates to "Outside the Tolsteeg Gate in Utrecht," during the latter half of the 18th century. This seemingly placid scene belies the rigid class structures of the Dutch Republic, where access to cities and trade was often determined by one’s socio-economic standing. Van der Haer offers a glimpse into the world just beyond the city’s gate, a space where the controlled order of urban life meets the openness of the countryside. Here, the movement of goods and people was heavily regulated by tolls, impacting merchants, farmers, and travelers alike. The etching delicately balances the picturesque with the political, inviting us to consider the layers of society that shaped not only the landscape but also the lives of its inhabitants. How might such systems of control shape communal identities and individual experiences?