Bruges, Belgium Possibly 1854 - 1855

This albumen print captures the imposing belfry of Bruges, Belgium, around the 1850s or 60s, by the Bisson Frères. Rising prominently above the town square, the belfry, a medieval bell tower, symbolizes civic pride and communal power. Notice the clock faces adorning the tower. Time, measured and displayed, becomes a public declaration of order and control, an attribute echoing through time. Consider the sundials of ancient Egypt, or even the digital clocks of today. Each marks our relentless march forward, yet their forms and functions are ever-evolving. The belfry, with its commanding presence, evokes the human desire for permanence amidst the flux of time. Its solid form, reaching skyward, is a statement against mortality. From the ziggurats of Mesopotamia to the skyscrapers of modernity, we continually strive to erect structures that defy time, embodying our deepest aspirations for lasting legacy.