Klimop Straatje te Amsterdam 1870 - 1926

Willem Wenckebach made this print of an Amsterdam street using etching. He was working in the Netherlands during a time of rapid urbanization and social change. At first glance, this seems like a simple depiction of urban life, but look closer. Wenckebach’s choice to focus on a narrow, less prominent street, is revealing. It invites us to consider the experiences of those living outside the grandeur of Amsterdam’s main avenues. In a city undergoing transformation, how did the working class experience this period? The lone figure in the street adds to this sense of introspection. The artist does not center the powerful or the wealthy. Instead, we’re drawn to the quieter corners of the city, hinting at the stories of everyday people navigating the changing social landscape.