Veerhuis van het veer tussen Breda en Dordrecht Possibly 1729

Cornelis Pronk made this pen drawing of the ferry house between Breda and Dordrecht in 1729. In the Dutch Golden Age, waterways were vital transport arteries, and the ferry service played a central role in connecting communities. This drawing offers a glimpse into the social and economic fabric of the 18th-century Netherlands. We see not just the ferry house itself, but also the stacks of goods awaiting transport, the boats moored at the landing, and figures of people waiting. What are the social dynamics here? Is it a place of commerce, leisure, or both? Pronk, who worked for the Dutch East India Company, had a keen eye for detail, and scholars have used his drawings as historical records to reconstruct the appearance of buildings and landscapes. Drawings like these offer art historians insights into the infrastructure and everyday lives of people in the Dutch Republic. They are invaluable resources for understanding the cultural landscape of the time.