Gezicht op het beursgebouw, te Glasgow 17th century

This print by Thomas Flowers gives us a glimpse into the bustling Exchange Square in Glasgow. Amidst the industrial revolution, Glasgow emerged as a center of trade and commerce, where fortunes were won and lost. The architecture here is a testament to the city's ambitions, but also reflects the social stratification of the era. The Exchange, with its imposing columns, symbolizes the power of financial institutions, yet the blurred figures of people hint at the human lives intertwined with this economic activity. Who were they? What kind of lives did they live? In an era marked by social upheaval and class divisions, Glasgow's Exchange Square was not merely a place of business, but a stage upon which social inequalities played out. Flowers' print invites us to reflect on the relationship between commerce, power, and everyday lives.