J.B. Aug. Kessler op het balkon van zijn hotelkamer uitkijkend over het water 1900

This photograph of J.B. Aug. Kessler gazing out over the water from his hotel balcony was taken by an anonymous photographer at an unknown date. The image speaks to the intersection of industry, power, and leisure in the late 19th or early 20th century. Kessler, presumably a man of means, is positioned on a balcony that overlooks a bustling waterway, perhaps a site of trade or industry. The classical architecture of the building behind him suggests old money while the industrial landscape in the distance evokes a sense of progress, capitalism, and modernity. This photo might have been commissioned, or taken by a friend or acquaintance. The very existence of the photograph speaks to the rise of photography as a tool for documentation and commemoration, used by individuals to capture moments in their lives, and to preserve social hierarchies. To fully understand this image, further research into Kessler's life, the location of the photograph, and the photographer's background would be helpful. The social and institutional context in which art is made is always a crucial element in its interpretation.