Gezicht op de hoek van de Halvemaansteeg en de Amstel c. 1907 - 1909

Willem Witsen made this etching of the Amstel river in Amsterdam sometime between 1880 and 1923. It shows us a view of the city that is both picturesque and modern. Although the scene recalls the famous cityscapes of the Dutch Golden Age, the artist was self-consciously recording a city undergoing enormous change as Amsterdam grew rapidly in the late nineteenth century. Much of the old city was demolished to make way for new buildings and infrastructure, and artists like Witsen, part of the Amsterdam Impressionism movement, focused on capturing everyday life during this transformation. The Rijksmuseum itself was founded in this period, reflecting a growing interest in national history and artistic heritage. To truly appreciate this etching, one might consult period maps, photographs, and municipal records. These documents would reveal the evolving urban landscape and social dynamics of Amsterdam at the time, emphasizing how art is inextricably linked to its historical context.