Gezicht op het oude deel van Schaarbeek, België before 1904

This photograph of the old part of Schaarbeek in Belgium was taken by Louis Lagaert, though we don't know exactly when. What strikes me is the way the light and shadow play, almost like charcoal, and the photograph creates a feeling of depth, pulling you into the scene. Look closely, and you'll see how Lagaert has captured the texture of the cobblestone street, each stone distinct. The buildings emerge from the shadows, their forms soft, almost dreamy, and that one tree just there in the middle adds such character, its branches reaching out like fingers. There's a sense of history here, an echo of the past. It reminds me of some of Eugène Atget’s photographs of Paris. Both artists were drawn to the everyday, the overlooked corners of their cities. It’s a reminder that art doesn't always need to shout; sometimes, it whispers.