Straatgezicht op de Apothekersdijk in Leiden, links het atelier van de fotograaf 1882 - 1914

Hendrik Jonker made this albumen print, depicting the Apothekersdijk in Leiden, presumably in the late 19th century. A row of children pose in the foreground, with Jonker’s studio visible on the left, suggesting a deliberate composition that intersects public space and professional activity. Photography in the Netherlands during this period was rapidly evolving from a niche craft to a powerful tool for documentation and representation. The rise of the middle class and advancements in technology meant that photography became more accessible. Jonker's work reflects a growing interest in capturing everyday life, while simultaneously shaping it. The act of posing these children transforms them into actors on a stage, blurring the line between reality and constructed image. To truly understand this photograph, one can delve into the municipal archives of Leiden to learn about the street's history, or to research the social dynamics of Dutch cities at the time. Looking into the development of photography as both an art and a trade is also important to see what role it played in shaping cultural identity.