Gezicht op de koepel van het Paleis van Justitie in Brussel, België before 1894

This is an anonymous print, of the cupola of the Palace of Justice in Brussels. The Palace looms, an imposing edifice of stone and steel. Construction on the Palace began in 1866, in the heart of a city grappling with rapid industrialization and social change. Its architect, Joseph Poelaert, envisioned a structure that would embody the power and authority of the Belgian state. The Palace of Justice was built on the location of the poorest neighborhood in Brussels, and the construction required the demolition of many houses. The building became a potent symbol of the tension between progress and displacement. Its design, a pastiche of classical and neo-Baroque elements, speaks to the self-conscious historicism of the era. To truly understand this image, we must look to the archives. Architectural plans, newspaper articles, and personal accounts can all shed light on the complex web of social, political, and economic forces that shaped its creation.