Gezicht op het oude deel van Schaarbeek, België before 1904

This photo of Schaarbeek, Belgium, by Louis Lagaert captures an old view. It’s monochrome, printed on a book page, and I immediately wonder about the process. Was it a direct print or an etching made after a photo? Either way, I imagine Lagaert carefully composing the scene, choosing where to stand, maybe waiting for the right light to give it that soft, diffused feel. It's so textural, you can almost feel the cobblestones under your feet and smell the damp earth. I see the trees framing the buildings, creating a sense of depth and enclosure. There’s a solitary figure there, so small you almost miss them. The more I look, the more it feels like an invitation to step back in time, to wander those streets and experience the quiet beauty of a bygone era. It’s about capturing a moment, a mood, a place—a conversation across time, inspiring curiosity and imagination.