Gezicht op de Nieuwe Vuilpoort te Dordrecht 1786 - 1792

Carel Frederik Bendorp created this print of the Nieuwe Vuilpoort in Dordrecht using etching. Focusing on the "Vuilpoort," or "Rubbish Gate," might seem like a strange choice, but it provides insight into the social fabric of 18th-century Dutch society. This gate wasn't just an architectural feature; it was a site of intersection, marking boundaries of sanitation, labor, and class. Consider the laborers who managed the waste flowing through this gate, their lives intertwined with the city's discards. Their stories, often untold, are critical to understanding the full picture of Dordrecht. Bendorp invites us to consider the underbelly of urban life, prompting questions about how we value certain spaces and the people who inhabit them. It offers a poignant reflection on the overlooked aspects of city life, urging us to confront uncomfortable truths about societal hierarchies.