Gevel van het door brand verwoeste Kurhaus te Scheveningen 1886

H. Hille captured this albumen print, titled 'Facade of the fire-ravaged Kurhaus in Scheveningen', sometime in the late 19th century. The Kurhaus, a luxury hotel and casino, was a symbol of leisure and wealth for the European elite. But here, the building's charred remains speak to a fragility that belies its grandeur. Hille's photograph situates us at a historical moment of loss, which speaks to both the physical destruction of a landmark and the disruption of social hierarchies. The figures in the foreground – officials and onlookers – seem frozen in place, which highlights their relationship to the destroyed building. Their attire marks them as members of the bourgeoisie, who would have frequented the Kurhaus. The horse and carriage imply wealth and leisurely travel. The fire disrupts the social order, as the Kurhaus would have been a playground for the upper classes. This photograph challenges the narrative of progress and wealth that the Kurhaus represented. Hille’s photograph speaks to how history is as much about destruction as it is about creation, and how deeply interwoven class and identity are with the spaces we inhabit.