Bestorming van de burgemeesterskamer in het stadhuis van Amsterdam, 1747 1786

Jacobus Buys made this drawing of the Storming of the Mayor's Chamber in Amsterdam in 1747. It offers a glimpse into a moment of social upheaval. The image captures a crowd in action outside the city hall with arms raised, almost violently and the title of the drawing makes it clear that they are storming into the Mayor’s Chamber. This work reflects a period of political tension in the Dutch Republic where calls for reform grew louder. The invasion of the mayoral chamber was part of a broader movement seeking to challenge the established oligarchic rule. To truly understand the context, one must look into the political pamphlets, the records of the civic guard, and the accounts of the burghers involved. Through such sources, art history reveals itself as a discipline deeply embedded in the social and institutional contexts of its time.