Gezicht op de Waag in Enkhuizen before 1894

This photograph shows the Waag, or weigh house, in Enkhuizen, the Netherlands. It’s part of a series titled ‘Architects of the Netherlands'. The Waag was a crucial institution in Dutch cities. More than just a place for weighing goods, it symbolized civic authority and economic regulation in the bustling trading centers of the Dutch Golden Age. It reflects the values of a society deeply engaged in commerce and defined by its powerful merchant class. Photographs like this, often commissioned by state institutions, are of great value to historians. They prompt us to look at the way state institutions have shaped the reception of images. We might consider whether this image presents a neutral representation of Dutch architecture or if it participates in the cultural construction of Dutch national identity. We might examine municipal records to determine the purpose and symbolic importance of the Waag in its local context.