Opstelling met wapens op de Exposition Nationale van 1880 in Brussel, België 1880

Ferdinand Fussen captured this photographic print, depicting the arms display at the Exposition Nationale of 1880 in Brussels. Observe how Fussen uses linear perspective to draw the eye deep into the "Galerie des Armes". The long, receding lines of the floor, the placement of exhibits, and the arches overhead create a powerful illusion of depth, framing the objects within a structured space. The arrangement of weaponry on display tables gives rise to a dynamic interplay between order and chaos. Notice the contrast between the rigid structure of the display cases and the apparently random scattering of rifles, swords, and other implements of war. This contrast may reflect how the advent of new weaponry challenged the accepted conventions of warfare. The composition suggests the unsettling intersection of progress, technology, and militaristic tradition. The photograph invites us to consider how objects of violence are transformed into artifacts of national pride and technological prowess. The gallery itself becomes a stage where weapons are not merely tools, but symbols of power and national identity.