Oosterdam 1893

This etching titled "Oosterdam" was created by Alexander Schilling in 1878. It depicts a scene from the Netherlands, a country whose intricate network of canals and waterways has shaped its economic and social life for centuries. Schilling's image is of a town bisected by water, likely used for transport and trade. The scene is unromanticized and focused on the everyday. The artist gives us a glimpse into the infrastructures that formed the basis of Dutch society. The late 19th century saw a rise in industrialization, as well as a renewed interest in rural and maritime life. Etchings like this one were part of a broader artistic trend that tried to capture what many saw as a disappearing way of life. To better understand the work, we might want to look into the history of Oosterdam itself, as well as the broader social and economic changes taking place in the Netherlands at the time it was made.