Gezicht op de Oudemanhuispoort te Amsterdam 1900 - 1920

Cornelis Johannes Steenbergh captured this view of the Oudemanhuispoort in Amsterdam, using photography, a medium which gained prominence during his lifetime. Steenbergh, born in the mid-19th century, lived through a period of rapid industrialization and urbanization, and his work reflects the changing face of Amsterdam. The Oudemanhuispoort, originally part of an old people's home, became a hub for commerce, especially books. This image, with its stark architectural details and deep shadows, evokes a sense of the past meeting the present. Consider the cultural significance of this location: once a place of refuge for the elderly, now a bustling marketplace. Steenbergh's photograph invites us to reflect on how spaces evolve and how our relationship to them changes over time. It’s a quiet, yet powerful meditation on the layers of history embedded in the urban landscape.