Dam met de Waag, Schoonhoven 1882

Lodewijk Hendrikus Serré made this albumen print of Dam met de Waag, Schoonhoven. This photograph captures a slice of late 19th-century Dutch life. We see the town square bustling with activity, the architecture solid and orderly, and the people going about their day. Serré was working at a time when the Netherlands was undergoing significant social and economic changes, and photography was becoming increasingly accessible as a way to document everyday life. What strikes me most is how the photograph, in its quiet way, speaks to the experience of community and identity. Note the group of men standing together on the left. Who were they? What were their stories? Serré invites us to consider the intersection of personal identity and collective life during this time. The people appear nameless and general; their identity is less individual and more a part of the whole town. This isn't just a picture of a town square, but a reflection on the changing dynamics of Dutch society.