Aanzicht op huis met bomen, mensen op terras c. 1880 - 1900

Wilhelm Ivens captured this image of a house with people enjoying its terrace, using photography, an emerging medium in the late 19th century. This scene, rendered in sepia tones, offers a glimpse into the social life of the Netherlands during Ivens' time. It suggests a burgeoning middle class with the leisure to enjoy outdoor spaces. The terrace, a semi-public space, blurs the lines between private life and the wider community. Who had access to such spaces? Who was welcome? Ivens, as a photographer, was part of a new wave of image-makers who were both documenting and shaping perceptions of their world. "Aanzicht op huis met bomen, mensen op terras" invites us to reflect on the relationship between space, class, and community. The image holds a quiet tension, revealing as much about what is shown as what remains unseen.