18th c. Caspar Commelin Amsterdam Engraving – "De Heylige Stede / Nieuwezijds Kapel"

A finely detailed hand-colored copperplate engraving depicting the Nieuwezijds Kapel (Nieuwezijds Chapel) in Amsterdam, one of the city’s most important medieval religious structures prior to its later demolition. The scene captures daily life along the water, with figures at market, boats at dock, and the chapel’s Gothic architecture rising prominently behind the canal.

This engraving originates from publications compiled by Caspar Commelin, whose monumental works documenting Amsterdam’s civic, architectural, and religious landmarks remain foundational references for the city’s Golden Age topography. While Commelin was the historian and publisher rather than the engraver himself, these plates were produced by skilled Amsterdam engravers working at the turn of the 18th century.

Origin: Amsterdam, published after Caspar Commelin (Commelin’s Amsterdam histories...Variants of "Gezicht van de Nieuwe Waalse Kerk" and related Amsterdam views, circa 1696–1706.
Material: Hand-colored copperplate engraving on laid paper; vintage frame.
Dimensions: 12.5” x 15.5”.
Condition: Light toning and age-appropriate handling marks consistent with a 17th-century engraving; slight waviness to the paper inherent to age; frame is vintage and in good condition with light ware to wood. Visible center fold as issued, consistent with folio-bound publications of the late 17th and early 18th centuries.