Congreskolom in Brussel 1869 - 1885

Lyon Cerf captured the Congreskolom in Brussels with photography. It's a monument rich in symbols, and the column itself is the most powerful one. The freestanding column, crowned with a statue, is not new; think of Trajan's Column in Rome, laden with spiraling narratives of conquest. This form speaks of triumph, power made visible, an aspiration reaching skyward. Yet, the Brussels column, erected to commemorate the Belgian National Congress of 1830-31, signifies something more: a nation's yearning for identity. Consider the lions at its base— regal, protective. Lions appear throughout history and across cultures. The lion embodies bravery, pride, and guardianship. The Congress Column’s lions, in their stoic stance, are guardians of this new nation's ideals. Such symbols echo through time, reborn in new contexts, yet retaining a primal connection to our collective psyche. The column is a testament to our enduring need to materialize our dreams, anchoring them in stone for generations to come.