Gezicht op de ingang van het Bezuidenhout in Den Haag c. 1865 - 1870

Andries Jager made this photograph of The Hague using a camera and darkroom processes unknown before the 19th century. What we see here isn't just a street, but a convergence of material and social history. Look at the way Jager has captured the surfaces: the precisely laid cobblestones, the brick and stucco facades. These materials speak of a society placing great emphasis on order, industry, and trade. The photograph itself – a new technology at the time – mirrors this sentiment. Consider too, the labor involved. From quarrying stone, to carting materials, to the skilled work of masons and builders: each element reflects a vast network of human effort. Even the act of photography, with its careful chemical processes and precise timing, connects to this ethos of production. By attending to these details, we understand that this image is more than just a view. It's a record of a society's values, etched in stone, brick, and light.