Gezicht op het Diaconieweeshuis te Amsterdam 1663

This etching, entitled 'Gezicht op het Diaconieweeshuis te Amsterdam,' was created in the 17th century by Jacob van Meurs. It depicts the Diaconie Orphanage in Amsterdam, a charitable institution run by the Dutch Reformed Church. Amsterdam in the 17th century was a global center of trade, and a place of stark inequality. The city's wealth attracted many, but it also left numerous families vulnerable. Orphanages like this one became essential, providing shelter and care for children who had lost their parents. Van Meurs's image offers a glimpse into the lives of the city's most vulnerable. It quietly underscores the social structures of the time and prompts us to consider the emotional experience of children dependent on charity. It stands as a reminder of the complex social fabric of the Dutch Golden Age, shaped by both prosperity and poverty.