Gezicht op de Vijverberg te 's-Gravenhage 1827 - 1871

Hendrik Wilhelmus Last created this lithograph called 'Gezicht op de Vijverberg te 's-Gravenhage', or 'View of the Vijverberg in The Hague', sometime in the mid-19th century. It depicts the social life of The Hague, but also speaks to the complex relationships of class, gender, and power of the time. We are presented with a scene dominated by the privileged. Elegant figures stroll and chat; horse-drawn carriages and riders suggest wealth and status. The rigid formality of the buildings and the neat rows of trees highlight the control and order preferred by the elite. But what about those who are not seen? Where are the laborers, the servants, the poor who would have supported this lifestyle? Their absence speaks volumes about the selective narrative being presented, which obscures the full picture of Dutch society at the time. This image then is not just a picture of a place, but a statement about who belongs and who is excluded from the visual representation of power. It reminds us to look beyond the surface and question the stories that are being told, and not told.