Woning aan het marktplein te Veurne before 1889

This monochromatic print depicts a house in Veurne, likely created in the late 19th or early 20th century using photomechanical techniques. The image, seemingly anonymous, is a window into the architecture and urban life of the period. Note the building material: brick, a fundamental element of construction. Brickmaking has always been labor-intensive, involving the extraction of clay, molding, firing, and transportation. The very structure of the house is therefore a testament to collective effort. The regularity of the bricks and windows hint at the rise of standardized production, a hallmark of industrializing societies. The presence of people in the photograph also tells a story about human activity and public space. They are not grand figures, but everyday citizens inhabiting the space. So while this work might not be considered "high art" in the traditional sense, it offers a glimpse into social history and material culture. It reminds us that making and building are always collaborative efforts, rooted in specific social and economic realities.