Gezicht op de Breukelen aan de Vecht 1790

Daniël Stopendaal made this print of Breukelen on the Vecht using etching, a printmaking technique, sometime before 1726. The scene's linear precision emerges from the labor-intensive process of incising lines into a metal plate, inking it, and transferring the image to paper. What we see in this image are the fruits of Dutch trade and industry. It is a picturesque view with a canal, and houses on either side. Leisurely figures populate the scene; this speaks to the prosperity of the Netherlands during the Golden Age. However, it also suggests a strict division of labor. The artist, the tradesmen who supplied his materials, and the consumers of the print all occupied different social strata. Ultimately, Stopendaal’s print offers a window into the economic and social fabric of his time. It reminds us that even seemingly straightforward images are the result of craft, labor, and a complex web of social relations.