Gezicht op de Zijlpoort te Leiden after 1732

Abraham Rademaker made this etching of the Zijlpoort in Leiden in the early 18th century. Rademaker was one of a number of Dutch artists who, in this period, took on the project of visually documenting the towns and cities of the Netherlands, Zeeland, and West Friesland. In this image, we see not just a depiction of a physical place, but also a projection of civic identity and pride. The Zijlpoort itself is rendered with precision, but it’s also framed by the activities of the local citizens. Note, in particular, the figures in the foreground; their placement suggests that this city is a place of leisure as well as commerce. To understand the historical value of an image like this, historians consult period maps, city records, and other visual sources to piece together a picture of life in the Dutch Republic. The image becomes more than just a picture, it’s a document, a social record.