Gezicht op het Stadhuis op de Dam 1736 - 1767

Frans de Bakker’s print captures the city hall on Dam Square. The building’s most dominant feature, the cupola, has a long lineage in Western architecture. Consider its form, which reminds us of the heavens and celestial order. It is a symbol that evokes the Pantheon in Rome, whose oculus invites the divine. Later, in the Renaissance, the cupola was revived in Florence, signifying rebirth and a connection to classical ideals. Here in Amsterdam, it represents civic virtue and communal unity. This architectural motif transcends its original religious connotations, becoming a symbol of collective identity. This transformation mirrors the city’s own evolution. Amsterdam emerged as a vibrant hub of commerce and culture, and a place where ideas were traded freely. Like the cupola, symbols evolve, adapting to new cultural and historical landscapes, carrying forward echoes of the past. These symbols are imprinted on our subconscious. They act as a powerful reminder of our shared human story.