Gezicht op de Vecht bij Nederhorst Den Berg en Nigtvecht 1790

Daniël Stopendaal created this print of the river Vecht near Nederhorst den Berg and Nigtvecht. The image, now held at the Rijksmuseum, offers a glimpse into the social and economic life of the Dutch Republic. This is a meticulously rendered landscape from the late 17th or early 18th century. The church dominates the village scene, a testament to the central role of religion. Yet, the bustling river, filled with boats and people, hints at the growing importance of trade and commerce to Dutch Society. Consider the relationship between the landed gentry, whose estates are recorded in the print’s upper register, and the working people. What can we learn about the distribution of wealth and power at this time? As historians, we use prints such as this as primary sources alongside other documents, such as tax records, wills, and inventories to understand the cultural values and social structures of the time. We look at what it includes, but also what it omits. The goal is to recover a sense of a past that is always mediated by the institutions of the present.