Titelpagina voor: Verzameling van Bouw- en Beeldhouw-kunst en vele verdere zeldzaamheden 1815 - 1843

This title page for a collection of art and architecture was made by Willem Hendrik Hoogkamer, but we don’t know the exact date. The text announces a survey of "rarities" of building and sculpture from the earliest days to the present, within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. What does it mean to put architecture and sculpture together in one collection? How did Dutch society value these arts, and what was the role of the monarchy in promoting them? The page is dedicated to His Majesty the King, Prince of Orange Nassau, signaling royal patronage and influence in shaping artistic tastes and historical narratives. Was this an attempt to construct a national artistic identity under the monarchy? Was the ‘selection’ of art and architecture influenced by the monarchy's political agenda? To understand better we might research the history of Dutch art institutions, royal patronage, and the political context of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in this period. By exploring these questions, we can gain a deeper understanding of the social and cultural forces shaping artistic production and reception in the Netherlands.