Amsterdam, Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal - Andries and Hendrik de Leth, c. 1725 1725

Hendrik Leth

PaperPrint
58 ⨯ 92 cm
Currently unavailable via Gallerease

• About the artwork
  NIEUWEZIJDS VOORBURGWAL AMSTERDAM “Afbeelding van het Stadhuys van agteren van de Weeszluis langs de Blom Markt aan te sien/ Representation de la maison de Ville Sur le Derrier du Coté d'Occident, ver la Marché aux Fleurs.” Etching with engraving printed from two copper plates made by Andries de Leth and published by Hendrik de Leth around 1725. With original hand colouring. Size: 58,4 x 92 cm. Handsomely frames. From the Weessluis bridge (litt: 'orphan's sluice', named after the nearby orphanage) we see the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal with in the distance the backside of the impressive town hall (from 1808 Royal Palace of Amsterdam), on the left there is the flower market. In the past, Amsterdammers bought their flowers, plants and trees – just like other products – on the market. Different markets existed for different commodities. The market on the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal was the most important flower market in the city in the 18th century. The traders often brought in their goods by boat and moored here to sell their flowers and plants. (In 1862 the flower market moved to the Singel, between the Munt and the Koningsplein.) On the other side of the water there is the "pijpenmarkt" the pipe market, where tobacco pipes (made from clay) were unloaded and traded. At the pijpenmarkt there were jetties for ships to unloaded their cargo, coming from factories many of which were in the city of Gouda. From the same quay a little further on, the trekschuit (litt: "towing barge", a ferry service also meant for passengers) also departed for Gouda. Closer are ships for the ferry to Noordwijk. Sailing ships that is, for travelling to Noordwijk is along the coast. Behind the town hall is the basis of the unfinished tower of the Nieuwe Kerk. (In 1783 this basis was largely demolished.) The Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal was filled in in 1884, the weessluis bridge was demolished in the process. Price: Euro 4.950,- (incl. frame)  
• About the artist

  Hendrik de Leth (Amsterdam, May 31, 1703 - Amsterdam, June 17, 1766) was a print artist, etcher, engraver, mapmaker, draftsman, bookseller, art dealer, publisher of prints, art collector and naturalia collector.

  Hendrik de Leth was the son of Andries de Leth (plate cutter, bookseller, 1662-1731) and Nelletje Middenheespen. Hendrik had an older brother, Christiaan de Leth. In 1742 Hendrik married Sophia Otto, who died in 1753. Their marriage remained childless. It was likely that nephew Andries, son of Hendrik's brother Christiaan, would become the successor to Hendrik's business. However, he died in 1743. In 1766 Hendrik de Leth had a will drawn up just before his death, whereby Catharina le Blanc, granddaughter of brother Christiaan, became heiress. On September 30, 1766, the auction of his estate took place.[3]

  In 1728, Hendrik joined the booksellers' guild. Before that he was a student of his father Andries de Leth, who had taken over the map, print and art dealership 'Op de Beurssluys, in den Visscher' in Amsterdam from the cartographer and printmaker Nicolaas Visscher II. Hendrik de Leth in turn took over this company after the death of his father in 1731.

  As early as 1725, the work Images of the Wijdtvermaarde city of Amsterdam was published in addition to its most important Buildings and Gesites, all accurately drawn after life and published in Amsterdam.

  His best-known work with 100 prints was published in 1730: The blessing splendor Kennemerlant : shows many glorious faces of the latter's most important pleasure places, noble houses, village and town buildings : starting with Kastrikum (...) / drawn after life and in the copper brought by H. de Leth; and briefly described by M. Brouërius van Nidek. - Amsterdam : De Leth, 1730. Many prints that De Leth made of Amsterdam can be found in the Amsterdam City Archives.

  As a cartographer, De Leth was best known for his New Geographical Atlas and Historical Atlas, Van de Zeven Vereenigde Nederlandsche Provintien, published in 1740. De Leth also became known for the copper engravings he made around 1758 of the General Map of the Colony or Province of Suriname after the design of Alexander de Lavaux.