Rijtjeshuizen aan een gracht c. 1888

Willem Koekkoek made this drawing, “Rijtjeshuizen aan een gracht”, or “Houses on a canal”, on paper during the 19th century. Koekkoek specialized in landscapes and cityscapes, often romanticizing the Dutch urban environment. While this sketch seems simple, it invites us to consider the role of architecture in shaping identity and community. The houses, neatly lined up, evoke a sense of order and uniformity but perhaps also hint at the constraints of urban life. In the 19th century, cities were rapidly growing, leading to new forms of social organization and challenges related to housing and class. Koekkoek's work, while seemingly straightforward, engages with the complexities of urban development and its impact on individual lives. How do these rows of houses speak to the tension between individual identity and collective living? This is a question that remains relevant today.