Gezicht op de noordzijde van het De Brouckèreplein in Brussel before 1899

Étienne Neurdein’s photograph captures the north side of the De Brouckèreplein in Brussels. The sepia tones and high vantage point create a structured, almost geometric composition. Our eyes are led down a wide boulevard, flanked by grand buildings, receding into the distance. The photograph’s power lies in its formal arrangement. The buildings, with their repetitive architectural details, create a rhythm that is echoed in the placement of the street lamps and figures below. This ordered space reflects the 19th-century fascination with urban planning and control. The very act of capturing this scene through photography underscores a desire to categorize and understand the changing modern world. Neurdein’s photograph, while appearing straightforward, raises questions about representation. Is this an objective record, or a constructed view? The photograph offers a structured perspective, inviting us to consider how the city itself is organized and perceived.