Lievevrouwepoort te Bergen op Zoom, gezien vanuit de Lievevrouwestraat 1877 - 1900

Jannis Jacobus van Melle made this photograph of the Lievevrouwepoort in Bergen op Zoom, likely in the late 19th century. The image presents us with more than just a street scene; it is a deliberate engagement with the town's identity. Van Melle, operating a portrait studio here, positions the camera to emphasize the gate's imposing architecture. This wasn't just documentation; it was image-making within a specific local context. Bergen op Zoom's history as a fortified city and center for trade shaped its social and economic life, and the Lievevrouwepoort was more than just a structure: it symbolized that history. It reminds us that even seemingly straightforward images are enmeshed in layers of historical meaning. To fully understand this image, we would need to delve into Bergen op Zoom’s local archives, maps, and histories. That is where art history begins!