Interieur van het Kasteel Haut-Koenigsbourg te Orschwiller before 1894

This photograph of the Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle was taken by Charles Bernhoeft, sometime between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, using a process known as silver gelatin printing. The image captures the rough-hewn stonework of the castle's interior. Think about the labor involved in quarrying, transporting, and constructing these stones into walls, archways, and towers. The castle itself is a testament to the physical effort of countless workers, their hands shaping the very material that defines its form. Bernhoeft’s photograph, then, isn’t just a depiction of a place, but also a reflection on the many hands that built it, and the social structures that made such monumental construction possible. With photography, Bernhoeft captures the social context of labor, politics, and consumption within the castle. It’s a reminder that every building, every object, has a story to tell about the people who made it.