Poort te Antwerpen before 1881

This photograph captures the "Poort te Antwerpen," or Door to Antwerp, by an anonymous artist in the 17th Century. The image presents an ornately framed doorway, a threshold that invites contemplation of entry and exclusion. The architectural detail suggests wealth and status; the shadow hints at the lives lived within. But who passed through this door? What roles did gender, class, and race play in determining access and passage during this era? This image prompts us to consider the power dynamics inherent in architecture, particularly how entryways can symbolize inclusion and exclusion. This doorway, frozen in time, invites us to ponder our own relationship to spaces, both physical and social, and to reflect on the barriers that either welcome or deny us entry.