De ingang van het Diaconie- en bestedelingenhuis der Evangelisch Lutherse Gemeente op de Nieuwe Keizersgracht

This watercolor by Johannes Jelgerhuis, dating from around the early 19th century, depicts the entrance of a charitable institution in Amsterdam. While the artist employed traditional techniques, the subject is far from the usual high art of the time. Jelgerhuis directs our attention to the Diaconie- en bestedelingenhuis, an alms-house where the poor were cared for. You see the very brick and mortar that comprises this institution, rendered with meticulous detail; the weight of the building is palpable. Jelgerhuis captures a moment of daily life, rendering the social realities of his time with an even hand. Notice the boys playing with a hoop and stick. The architecture frames the scene, inviting us to consider the people who pass through its doors and the labor involved in maintaining such a place. By focusing on the material reality of this institution and the lives it touched, Jelgerhuis blurs the lines between fine art and social commentary.