Gezicht op de daken van de Vondelkade (Overtoom), over de Constantijn Huygensstraat, naar het Pesthuis te zien 1801 - 1871

Cornelis Gerardus 't Hooft made this drawing of the rooftops of Vondelkade, Overtoom, Constantijn Huygensstraat, towards the Pesthuis, in the 19th century. Hooft situates us within the burgeoning city of Amsterdam, a place of both beauty and disease. From this viewpoint, we see not grand facades, but the everyday lives of the inhabitants. The drawing’s muted tones and stark lines evoke a sense of melancholy, perhaps reflecting the ever-present threat of illness that loomed over the city. Consider the Pesthuis in the distance, a stark reminder of the social inequalities of the time. While the wealthy could often escape to the countryside during outbreaks, the poor were left to face the epidemic in crowded urban conditions. Hooft's drawing becomes a subtle commentary on these disparities, inviting us to reflect on the human cost of urban growth and the shared vulnerability of the human condition.