Gezicht op de Noorderhaven in aanleg met de bouw van de spoorbrug Possibly 1872 - 1877

Julius Perger captured this view of the Noorderhaven with the railway bridge under construction using photography. This image provides a glimpse into the labor-intensive process of industrialization. It invites us to consider the lives of the workers whose efforts physically built the infrastructures of modernity. The photo's stark realism departs from romanticized depictions of progress, showing us the unglamorous, often harsh, realities of labor and urban development. The scene is set against a backdrop of what appears to be an otherwise rural landscape. What does it mean for the men in this photo to be tasked with constructing something that they themselves may never have the opportunity to utilize? Perger’s photograph captures a pivotal moment in the transformation of the urban landscape and invites us to reflect on the social and economic forces shaping the modern world.