Doorkijk naar zaal F op de Historische Tentoonstelling van Amsterdam in 1876 1876

Pieter Oosterhuis captured this albumen silver print, titled "Doorkijk naar zaal F op de Historische Tentoonstelling van Amsterdam in 1876," at a time when photography was being used to document and classify the world. This image offers us a glimpse into the Historical Exhibition of Amsterdam, an event staged during a period of intense national self-reflection in the Netherlands. The late 19th century was marked by rapid industrialization, colonial expansion, and a growing sense of national identity. Such exhibitions were carefully curated to present a specific narrative of progress and cultural heritage. What does it mean to look back at the past through the lens of the present? Oosterhuis, by photographing this exhibition, is not merely recording history but also participating in shaping a collective memory. The exhibition itself, and thus this photograph, becomes a stage where the past is selectively presented to serve the present. The emotional experience of viewing such an exhibition would have been a mix of pride, nostalgia, and perhaps a subtle anxiety about the future.