Amsterdamse kooplieden 1816

This hand-colored etching, Amsterdam Merchants, was created by Jan Anthonie Langendijk Dzn in the early 19th century. The printmaking process itself – the precise lines etched into the metal, the careful application of color – speaks to the values of craft and commerce depicted. Here, we see a street vendor carrying a wooden box, probably self-made. Open-topped, it contains neatly arranged wares. Beside him, the woman holds a woven basket, likely also handcrafted, and an elegant blue box. The image celebrates the industriousness of ordinary people making their living through trade, showcasing the objects that facilitated their work: the containers, and the goods within. These items are not fine art materials; they are the tools and products of everyday life, elevated through Langendijk’s attention to detail. The print invites us to consider the labor involved in creating and selling these goods, blurring the line between the fine arts and the crafts that supported Amsterdam's economy.