Antwerpen 1922

Henri Braakensiek made this print, "Antwerpen," in 1932. It shows a ship in dry dock in the Belgian port city. Braakensiek's image speaks to Antwerp’s importance as a center for trade and shipbuilding in the interwar period. The ship looms large, emphasizing its economic and strategic significance. But the dry dock also suggests a moment of repair and maintenance. Are we seeing the need to service the infrastructure of global trade? The placement of the anchors and chains in the foreground reminds us of labor, trade, and the working class, central to Antwerp's identity. To understand this print fully, we'd consult archival records detailing Antwerp's maritime industry in the 1930s, along with social histories of the city’s dockworkers. Looking at official records and sources from below, we might discover how Braakensiek’s image engages with the social realities of its time.