Gezicht op de Hofvijver te Den Haag 1742 - 1801

Georg Balthasar Probst created this print of the Hofvijver in Den Haag in the 18th century. At the time, the Dutch Republic was a major center of global commerce and culture, but tensions were simmering beneath the surface of its Golden Age. This print offers a glimpse into the intricate social hierarchy of the era. Well-dressed families stroll leisurely in the foreground, while soldiers march rigidly in formation nearby. The presence of enslaved children accompanying some of the families serves as a stark reminder of the Republic’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade, complicating any idyllic reading of the scene. Probst’s print invites us to reflect on whose stories are told and whose are erased from history. As we consider the human cost of progress, we might recognize the ways in which similar dynamics continue to shape our world today.