Interieur van de Koninklijke Sint-Hubertusgalerijen in Brussel 1866 - 1870

Jules Hippolyte Quéval made this stereoscopic photograph of the interior of the Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries in Brussels. The image invites us to consider the advent of modern commercial spaces in 19th-century Europe. Built during the reign of Leopold I, the arcade was part of a larger trend in urban planning that sought to create new public spaces for leisure and consumption. Quéval’s photograph captures the grandeur of the arcade, with its neoclassical design and glass roof. These arcades acted as social condensers, bringing together different social classes in a space dedicated to shopping and display. This form of architecture was a response to the growing middle class and the rise of consumer culture. We might ask, who had access to this space, and whose labor made it possible? By consulting historical archives, architectural plans, and period newspapers, we can gain a deeper understanding of the social and economic context in which this photograph was produced, and how the Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries shaped the urban experience of Brussels.