Gezicht op de nieuwe Amsterdamse Schouwburg op het Leidseplein 1774

Editor: This engraving, "Gezicht op de nieuwe Amsterdamse Schouwburg op het Leidseplein" by Cornelis Bogerts, dating back to 1774, beautifully depicts the new Amsterdam theatre. It strikes me how detailed the printmaking process is. What stands out to you about it? Curator: I see an etching that reveals so much about Amsterdam’s economy. Note the marks that record labour: someone physically created those lines using tools available at the time. We must consider the socio-economic dynamics involved in both its creation and consumption. Editor: Consumption? Like who bought it? Curator: Exactly. Who were the consumers of such prints? Were they wealthy merchants showing off their civic pride, or members of the rising middle class wanting to keep up with trends and demonstrate knowledge of art? Look closer – even the choice to depict a theatre reveals that cultural values have shifted. Editor: You're saying this print is like early advertising, promoting culture *and* consumption? I’d never thought of it that way! Curator: Consider the act of going to the theatre; what materials were consumed? New clothes perhaps, transport by carriage, or food vendors around the Leidseplein, they all rely on the labour of others to bring an experience together. How would one access that "high culture?" Editor: It seems this image becomes much more than just a nice picture, more than “art for art’s sake," I suppose! Thanks, I have a better understanding now. Curator: My pleasure!