Gezicht op een zaal in Vlaamse stijl in het huis van E. van der Straeten in Oudenaarde, België before 1898

G. Choppinet captured this view of a Flemish-style room in the house of E. van der Straeten in Oudenaarde, Belgium, using photography, a medium still relatively new at the time. Here, we’re invited into a space that speaks volumes about bourgeois identity and cultural aspirations. The Flemish style, with its emphasis on dark wood, ornate carvings, and display of wealth, was often used to evoke a sense of history, tradition, and regional pride. Yet, this wasn’t merely about preserving the past; it was about curating an image, a narrative of belonging and status. Who were the people who inhabited this room, and what stories did they tell themselves amidst these carefully chosen objects? Did this conscious construction of identity provide comfort? Or, did it create a sense of pressure, bound to the expectations of class and heritage? Ultimately, this photograph captures a moment frozen in time, inviting us to reflect on the complexities of identity, authenticity, and the stories we tell ourselves through the spaces we inhabit.