Soiree in Frascati met een fontein met eau de cologne, 1845 after 1845

Johannes Hilverdink created this print of the Soiree in Frascati, Amsterdam, in 1845. It shows a fashionable crowd enjoying an evening at this popular venue, complete with lush greenery and even a cologne fountain. But it's more than just a snapshot of leisure. It reflects Amsterdam's burgeoning social and cultural scene of the time. The print offers visual cues about Dutch society during the Biedermeier era. We can see the fashions, the social interactions, and the architectural taste of the time. It suggests the rise of a well-to-do middle class with the time and money for leisure activities. What’s more, Frascati itself was an institution, a place where social norms were reinforced and performed. To fully understand this image, we need to delve into sources about Amsterdam's social history, the rise of public entertainment, and the culture of leisure. We need to explore the archives of Frascati itself. That’s how art history can help us better understand the social conditions that shaped the past.