Gezicht op de Portugese Synagoge te Amsterdam, ca. 1695 c. 1695

Romeyn de Hooghe created this etching around 1695, offering us a ‘View of the Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam.’ Completed in 1675, the synagogue was a testament to Amsterdam's relative tolerance, providing refuge for Sephardic Jews fleeing persecution in Spain and Portugal. De Hooghe, however, was known for his anti-Semitic sentiments, a common prejudice in the Dutch Golden Age, despite its commercial reliance on Jewish merchants. In this print, the artist depicts a bustling scene, with figures from various social classes crossing the bridge towards the synagogue. The inclusion of both the building’s profile and floor plan almost objectifies the religious space, reducing it to a mere architectural curiosity. The artist seems to be less interested in the community’s spiritual life than in the structure itself. The image is emotionally complex. It acknowledges the Jewish presence in Amsterdam, while also revealing the underlying tensions and prejudices that shaped their daily lives.