View of the Town Hall, Gouda 1646

Roelant Roghman made this drawing of the Town Hall in Gouda using pen and brown ink, with a grey wash. In the 17th century, the Dutch Republic was forging its identity, and civic buildings took on symbolic weight. Here, Roghman presents the Town Hall not just as a structure, but as a stage for civic life. Notice how the figures animate the stairs, and the fowl peck around in the foreground, creating a sense of bustling activity. Roghman’s choice to depict the Town Hall in such detail also speaks to the burgeoning sense of civic pride. Understanding the social conditions that shaped Roghman’s artistic production requires that we consult city archives and period documents, such as town records, guild regulations, and contemporary accounts. With access to those kinds of resources, the historian can better understand the cultural and institutional forces that shaped this vision of Gouda.