Gezicht op de boulevard en het strand van Ventnor Possibly 1889

This photograph, "Gezicht op de boulevard en het strand van Ventnor" (View of the boulevard and beach of Ventnor), was captured by Henry Pauw van Wieldrecht. Here we see a busy seaside scene. It’s a snapshot of leisure and society, reflecting the Victorian era’s increasing emphasis on seaside vacations. The esplanade is bustling with activity, showcasing a society on display. But, who is included and excluded from this picture? Consider the labor behind the scenes that enables this leisure, the class divisions that determine who gets to relax and who must work, the gendered expectations of women and children. The image also prompts thoughts on colonialism, with seaside resorts often becoming sites where the Empire's wealth was consumed, obscuring the exploitation that fueled it. Photographs like these provide us with a mirror to the past, inviting us to consider whose stories are told and whose remain untold. They are more than just pretty pictures, they are cultural artifacts loaded with the complex realities of their time.