Gezicht op de Delftse Poort in Rotterdam 1827 - 1873

Hendrik Wilhelmus Last created this print of the Delftse Poort in Rotterdam using etching and aquatint techniques. The image captures a moment of daily life, yet it is also a reflection of the changing urban landscape of the Netherlands in the 19th century. In this scene, the gate stands as a proud marker of the city's identity, a structure that literally and figuratively controlled access and trade. But this sense of established order is somewhat misleading. Last made this print at a time when the old city gates were starting to seem obsolete, remnants of a bygone era. We see people from various walks of life – merchants, families, laborers – all coexisting in this space. The gate itself is monumental, but the figures populating the scene feel more immediate. Last seems to be asking: what do we preserve, what do we discard, and how do we make room for progress while honoring our past? In 1863, just a few decades after Last created this print, the Delftse Poort was demolished to accommodate the growing city.