Henry Pauw van Wieldrecht op de treeplank van zijn eerste auto (achter het stuur de chauffeur, rechts twee onbekende mannen) 1906 - 1912

This photogravure pictures Henry Pauw van Wieldrecht with his first car and was created by the same Henry Pauw van Wieldrecht. The composition is structured around the automobile, a symbol of modernity, placed centrally and starkly against the backdrop of a brick building that hints at established architectural forms. The tonal range, typical of photogravure, offers a limited palette, but the textures are rich and varied, from the smooth metal of the car to the rough brickwork. The photograph plays with the semiotics of early 20th-century technology, where the car functions as a signifier of progress and social status. The artist explores the juxtaposition of this new technology against more traditional societal structures represented by the building and the formally dressed figures. This visual tension creates a silent dialogue about change and continuity. The deliberate choice of photogravure as a medium speaks to a desire to grant the modern subject a certain timelessness, using a process known for its subtlety and depth. The work functions aesthetically and as a historical document. The image encapsulates a moment of transition captured through a medium grappling with its own evolving identity.