Gezicht op de Stadsbank van Lening te Amsterdam 1663 - 1664

Jacob van Meurs made this print of the Amsterdam pawnshop around the mid-17th century, using etching and engraving techniques. Look closely, and you’ll see the graphic qualities inherent to these processes. The etched lines are comparatively light, and the engraved lines are deeper and more certain. This combination allowed van Meurs to depict a bustling city scene with remarkable detail, from the architectural facades to the figures populating the space. Beyond its aesthetic qualities, the print offers insights into the social and economic fabric of the Dutch Golden Age. The Stadsbank van Lening, prominently featured, was a place where citizens could pawn goods for loans. Consider the labor involved in producing the objects that would have passed through this institution. This print is not only a work of art but a window into the material culture of its time. It reminds us that art is always entangled with the social and economic realities that shape its creation.