BERCKHEYDE, Gerrit Adriaensz.
(b. 1638, Haarlem, d. 1698, Haarlem)

The Nieuwezijds Voorburgswal, Amsterdam

1686
Oil on canvas, 54 x 64 cm
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid

In this picture the artist has painted Amsterdam on a flower-market day. On the right a line of sunny houses are typical of the style of Dutch middle-class homes. High and narrow and arranged over several floors, they have steep roofs against the rain and stepped gables. In the background is the Town Hall, which stands out from the rest through its monumentality, scale and style.