Utrechtsepoort, Amsterdam 1858

Charles-Henri Plaut created this stereoscopic image of Utrechtsepoort in Amsterdam, employing a technique that was cutting-edge for its time. The image captures not just a structure, but a gate, which stood as a literal and symbolic point of control, mediating who and what could enter the city. Plaut, working in the mid-19th century, would have been keenly aware of the social stratifications within Amsterdam, a bustling port city undergoing rapid change. The gate itself becomes a character in this narrative, a silent observer of merchants, laborers, and perhaps even revolutionaries passing through its arch. Consider how the very act of photographing—of framing and capturing—mirrors the gate's function of controlling perspective and access. Plaut’s composition invites us to reflect on who is granted entry, both literally into the city and figuratively into the historical record. This photograph makes us consider what is included and excluded, valued, and overlooked, in our shared histories.