Vogelvluchtgezicht op het Binnengasthuis en het Oudezijds Heerenlogement te Amsterdam 1663

This is Jacob van Meurs’s bird’s-eye view etching of the Binnengasthuis and Oudezijds Heerenlogement in Amsterdam. It pictures the city’s evolving public institutions from an elevated perspective, likely sometime in the mid-17th century. This detailed print offers a window into the social structures of the Dutch Golden Age. The Binnengasthuis, a hospital, and the Oudezijds Heerenlogement, a guesthouse for distinguished visitors, symbolize Amsterdam's civic pride and economic prosperity. The aerial view, a popular cartographic style in the Netherlands at the time, emphasizes the city's order and control over its urban space. The print reflects the era's emphasis on public institutions and the importance of civic responsibility, with the Dutch Republic becoming a centre for trade and tolerance. To fully understand this piece, we might consult municipal archives, architectural plans, and period literature, to enrich our understanding of Amsterdam’s place in the world.