Albert Cuyp Markt, Amsterdam

The Market Signpainter: Henry van der Horst

A November morning at the Albert Cuyp Market in Amsterdam. The distinctive style of the price signs at many stalls immediately catches the eye. Responsible for them is Henry van der Horst, who has been producing hand-lettered price cards for more than four decades.

Moving from market to market across the city, Henry takes on commissions directly on site. Using bold markers and vivid colours, he creates his reclame kaarten for all kinds of goods, subtly lending Amsterdam’s markets a shared visual identity.

Henry van der Horst has since attained a degree of local renown. After the Dutch graphic designer Willem Verweijen documented his work in 2015—thereby sparking wider interest—de Volkskrant published a feature on his practice, followed by several design blogs.

Today, alongside his regular commissions, Henry’s activities also extend into the realm of popular culture, as well as workshops.

HenrySignPainter on Instagram
Website: henrysignpainter.nl