Gezicht op de Montelbaanstoren en de Oudeschans te Amsterdam 18th century

This print of the Montelbaanstoren and the Oudeschans in Amsterdam was made around 1807 by Basset. The scene presents a blend of the natural and the urban. It reflects the growth of Amsterdam as a major port city, and with that, the growth of capitalism and the merchant classes in the Netherlands. The cultural values of the Dutch Golden Age valued civic pride, trade, and a sense of community, and you can see all of these in the orderly composition of the image. What you see here is the way that the Netherlands projects its image of itself: industrious, orderly, and prosperous. As art historians, to get a sense of this image, we can use things like historical maps, city records, and shipping documents. This helps us to see this print not just as a pretty picture, but as a cultural artifact that's deeply embedded in the social and economic life of the Netherlands.