Gezicht op het Rooms-Katholiek Jongensweeshuis aan de Lauriergracht te Amsterdam Possibly 1710 - 1766

This etching depicts the Roman Catholic Boys' Orphanage on the Lauriergracht in Amsterdam, made around 1702 by an anonymous artist. The most striking symbol here is the orphanage itself, a place of refuge for the abandoned. The orphanage as a motif echoes throughout history, harking back to ancient foundling homes. We see a poignant parallel in the Ospedale degli Innocenti in Florence. These institutions represent society's ambivalent response to the abandoned, the desire to protect conflicting with the shame of illegitimacy. The gathering of children here is less a celebration of innocence than a stark reminder of broken familial bonds, an emotional scene charged with loss and hope. This building is more than just bricks and mortar. It is a vessel carrying society’s hopes and anxieties around childhood and care. This symbol has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings throughout time.