By 1900, Amsterdam was expanding at a furious pace. New neighbourhoods sprang up around the old city, supported by millions of piles. Artist George Hendrik Breitner was fascinated by the modern city and recorded the construction work in numerous pictures. This scene is probably set in the Overtoom area. A horse is dragging a pile to a building site. On the right, another pile is being driven into the ground with a steam pile-driver.