Gezicht op het oude stadhuis van Utrecht 1756 - 1758

Jan Caspar Philips made this print of the old town hall of Utrecht sometime in the 18th century. Prints like this were important for recording the appearance of cities and circulating visual information. Here, we see a bustling scene, with figures crossing a bridge and boats on the canal. The architecture is rendered with careful detail, emphasizing the grandeur of the town hall and the imposing Domtoren in the background. Consider what Philips chooses to include, and what he leaves out. Is this a faithful record, or a carefully constructed image intended to convey a particular idea about Utrecht? To answer that question, we might consult city records, period maps, and other images of Utrecht from the same era. By understanding the social and institutional context in which it was made, we can better appreciate the public role of art and the politics of imagery.