Divine Right Meets Capitalist Might

Cultural Perspectives • 20 Oct 2019

Divine Right Meets Capitalist Might

by Meghan Dansie


If you are reading this, you probably have a grasp on how time-telling devices have shaped history the world over. The Netherlands is no exception to this trend, but what may surprise watch enthusiasts is how the country has preserved its horological heritage. You just need to look up. In the nation’s capital of Amsterdam, above the heads of tourists in Dam Square and next to the grand Koninklijk Paleis (once a town hall, now a residence of the Dutch Royal Family), is a rare piece of history.

The Dam in Amsterdam by Gerrit Adriaensz Berckheyde (1693)

New Churches & Ancient Technologies

The Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) was consecrated in 1409 – perhaps not new by definition, but new in comparison to Amsterdam’s Oude Kerk (Old Church), built in the thirteenth century. The rapidly expanding population had necessitated the construction of the Nieuwe Kerk.

De Nieuwe Kerk (Credit)

Basking in the Golden Age

1645 was right in the middle of the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century. It is difficult to describe the influence of this period on both the Netherlands, and the wider world. The booming trade industries of the Dutch played a major role in introducing concepts to the world that now seems a mainstay of the global order: the stock exchange, free-market capitalism and the idea that individuals could change their station in life through capitalist endeavour. As a result of the spread of ideas, global influences and increase in wealth brought about by the profits of businesses such as the Dutch East India Company; art, literature, book-printing and multiculturalism in the Dutch capital flourished.

The Courtyard of the Beurs in Amsterdam (Amsterdam Stock Exchange) by Emanuel de Witte (1653)

For all the riches and positive effects of this period of time, it must be acknowledged that a major driving force was colonial exploit and the slave trade, which had indelible effects on the cultures and livelihoods of South-East Asian and West African nations for centuries to come.

The Castle of Batavia by Andries Beeckman (1658). The Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie) administrative centre in Jakarta.

The People’s Clock

All of these consequences come to mind whilst strolling the beautiful canals of Amsterdam. However, the coalescence of the churches of capitalism with the Protestant churches can be summarised nicely by looking above Dam Square. Next to the Palace, on the west side of the Nieuwe Kerk. I originally thought I had stumbled across a surrealist, art deco type clock, with the large dial home to numbers placed in rather unusual positions. However, I soon realised that the clock was, in fact, a public sundial – the likes of which I had never seen before.

De Nieuwe Kerk Sundial (Credit)

Despite a decided lack of information regarding this sundial, its importance since the 17th century has been immense. This sundial regulated all official times in Amsterdam until the end of the 19th century — playing a hugely important role in a city governed by what boats were docking when. This need for precision makes it surprising that the Nieuwe Kerk’s sundial performed this role up until 150 years ago

Map of Amsterdam (1625) (Credit)

Sundials go way back, with the oldest known dial originating around 1500 B.C. They were also significant for medieval and early modern Christian states, with public sundials often performing the task of reminding and persuading citizens about times of prayers. Sundials were thus often depicted in the arms of angels, or as an addition to other religious motifs. These public sundials were often the first instances of public, standardised time, and often did not survive as newer technologies arose, or as the influence of religious institutions diminished.

The Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow

Amsterdam is a dynamic city that has fought its below sea level altitude with an ever-changing canal and dyke network. The retention of such a large public sundial is therefore a significant choice; through the advent of chronometers and pocket watches, Greenwich Mean Time and wristwatches, they have held onto this piece of their history.

A Family Portrait by Gillis van Tilborgh (1665–1670)

Rather than being a result of any particularly stringent custom surrounding preservation, this enduring timepiece is an ode to those values brought about by the Dutch Golden Age. The nation’s Protestant rejection of religious iconography and the Catholic Church as an all-powerful institution, in combination with early Modern, liberal capitalist markets are both important backbones of the country’s history.

Interior of the Laurenskerk in Rotterdam by Cornelis de Man (1664 – 1666)

Cathedrals of Capitalism:

The vertical sundial style is beautiful in its simplistic design. It makes sense that it was used as a functional time-telling device for purposes transcending the religious. It might seem a mere sundial placed on the side of a classic Dutch church, but the Nieuwe Kerk sundial’s size and longevity are also evidence of a new congregation. It has moved from the Calvinists to the Cathedral of Capitalism. Visible on the side of Nieuwe Kerk, it is an example of how horology has always occupied a space between the state, the church and industry.

Interior of the Nieuwe Kerk by Emanuel de Witte (1677)

All in Good Time

Watches and clocks have long been the bridge between the new and the old. Or rather, the Nieuwe and the Oude. They have brought us closer to the movements of celestial bodies in the sky and to the passing ships of international trade, bringing with it the transmission of political and economic systems. However, the Dutch example taught us that no matter how inimitable a force like the Dutch East India Company became (or any other entity for that matter; past present or future) there’s one thing that forever remains in short supply. Time.

Tags: amsterdam horology netherlands


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