Nieuwjaarswens van de Amsterdamse askarrenmannen voor het jaar 1855 1854 - 1855

Dirk Wijbrand Tollenaar created this print in January 1855, a New Year's greeting from Amsterdam's ash carters. Notice the classical building in the background, likely inspired by Greek temples, symbolizing civic virtue. The procession of ash carters, set against this backdrop, creates a striking contrast between the ideal and the everyday. The dog is perhaps the most telling symbol here. Throughout history, dogs appear as symbols of loyalty, watchfulness, but also the underworld. Think of Cerberus, guardian of Hades. Here, the dog is among the carters, suggesting a connection between the mundane work of cleaning waste and the deeper, perhaps subconscious, acknowledgment of mortality and decay. This juxtaposition, connecting the high ideals of civic life with the base reality of urban waste, reflects a tension present in the collective psyche. The ash carters offering a New Year's greeting, is a cyclical offering to the citizens of Amsterdam. A reminder that every year waste will always exist in the city, and the ash carters will be there to clean it.