Detail van twee deuren en deurposten in de eetkamer op de begane grond van Hotel Merghelynck in Ieper, België before 1894

Hector Heylbroeck captured this black and white photograph, titled Detail van twee deuren en deurposten in de eetkamer op de begane grond van Hotel Merghelynck in Ieper, België. The image invites us to consider the domestic spaces of 18th-century Belgian aristocracy. The ornate detailing of the doors and frames speaks to a culture of elaborate display, a visual language of power and wealth. Think about the labor required to produce such intricate designs, and the social hierarchies that placed such craftsmanship within reach of only a select few. Consider how gender dynamics might be embedded within this image. Who inhabited and maintained this space? What roles were assigned to different members of the household? This photograph goes beyond a simple architectural record; it captures the emotional and social world of a bygone era. It is an intimate glimpse into the lives of those who moved through these rooms.