Gezicht op de eetzaal van het huis van Delmay in Brussel, België before 1898

This photograph by G. Choppinet offers a view into the dining room of the Delmay residence in Brussels, Belgium. The composition draws us into the space through a careful arrangement of lines and forms. Note how the herringbone pattern of the floor leads the eye towards the back of the room. The structure of the room is articulated through a play of rectangles: the ceiling beams, door frames, and fireplace, creating a grid-like framework. The walls are punctuated with decorative panels, and framed portraits. The furniture is strategically placed to create a sense of balance and order. The photograph challenges our perception of domestic space. What is the relationship between the viewer and the viewed? This image is not just a representation of a room, but also a cultural document that invites us to reflect on the aesthetics and values of early 20th-century bourgeois life. Its careful composition and structural clarity turn the image into a cultural artifact.