View of the Nieuwe Gracht near the Bolwerk, Haarlem 1800 - 1831

Wybrand Hendriks painted this tranquil oil on canvas titled "View of the Nieuwe Gracht near the Bolwerk, Haarlem". Hendriks lived through a tumultuous period, straddling the Dutch Golden Age and the rise of new political orders. The painting, with its serene depiction of Haarlem's waterways, presents a curated vision of Dutch life. The careful composition and detailed rendering of the natural environment speak to the values of order and prosperity embraced by the Dutch middle class. However, there is a tension. While the scene suggests harmony, it also implies a certain level of exclusion. The working figure on the boat is a reminder of the labor underpinning this idyll. The calm surface belies the complex social stratifications of the time. The painting presents a moment of reflection, but also asks us to consider whose reflections are being centered and whose are not.