Gezicht op de Waag op de Dam te Amsterdam, 1565 1612

This print from 1565 by Claes Jansz. Visscher depicts the Waag building on Dam Square in Amsterdam. The image captures a bustling scene of commerce and daily life around a prominent civic building. The Waag, originally a city gate, was repurposed as a weighing house, reflecting Amsterdam's growing importance as a center for trade in the 16th century. Visscher's detailed rendering offers insights into the economic and social structures of the time. Notice the figures engaged in trade, the architectural details of the Waag itself, and the overall atmosphere of a busy marketplace. The print serves as a historical document, illustrating Amsterdam's transformation from a medieval city to a thriving commercial hub. To fully understand this artwork, we can turn to archival records, maps, and other visual sources that shed light on Amsterdam's urban development, economic policies, and social customs during the early modern period. The meaning of this work is contingent on an understanding of its original context.