Gezicht op huizen aan het Binnenhof tijdens de restauratie 1900

This anonymous photograph captures houses on the Binnenhof in the Netherlands during restoration. While the photographer is unknown, it was commissioned by Monumentenzorg, an organization dedicated to preserving national heritage. The image presents an interesting dialogue between preservation and progress. The buildings, deeply embedded in Dutch history and identity, are shown undergoing a process of transformation. This raises questions about what aspects of the past we choose to preserve, and how that shapes our understanding of national identity. The act of restoration itself can be seen as a way of negotiating the relationship between present and past, between preserving historical narratives and adapting to contemporary needs. Consider the workers who were involved in this restoration. Their labor, often unseen, is crucial to the preservation of cultural heritage. Who were these people and what were their stories? This image reminds us that the construction and reconstruction of history involves many hands, each contributing to the narratives we inherit.