Schoorsteenmantel op de begane grond in Museum Het Steen te Antwerpen before 1889

This monochrome print captures a ground-floor chimney piece from the Museum Het Steen in Antwerp. The composition is structured around a play of vertical and horizontal lines, establishing a stark, geometric order. On the left, the chimney mantel is adorned with relief carvings of heraldic symbols and figures that draw the eye upwards. These are juxtaposed with the grid-like pattern of the tiled floor and hearth, creating a tension between organic form and structured space. The perspective, slightly angled, invites us into the corner, yet the gray scale flattens the depth, emphasizing surface over volume. The stark contrast destabilizes the conventional reading of interior space, inviting reflection on the interplay between decorative, symbolic and architectural elements. This is not merely a depiction of a domestic feature, but an exploration of how cultural symbols inhabit and define our spaces. The visual semantics within, challenge fixed meanings.