View on the golden Bend Herengracht Amsterdam 1672, Gerrit Berckheyde, Rijksmuseum A’dam,
ARTWORK Collection
[no. 22-02-11]
Gerrit Adriaenszoon Berckheyde (1638-1698) was a Dutch Golden Age painter active in Haarlem, Amsterdam and The Hague, who is best known today for his cityscapes.
Due to an enormous increase of its population, Amsterdam had to expand during the 17th century: the city rings 0f canals were dug in phases. Here we see the Herengracht under construction, with a few lots still empty. This particular section of the canal became the domain of the very richest.