Gezicht op Guebwiller before 1894

Charles Bernhoeft captured this view of Guebwiller in a photograph, offering a glimpse into the cultural landscape of the late 19th or early 20th century. Bernhoeft, a photographer in Luxembourg, presents us with more than just a landscape, but an opportunity to consider the intersections of identity, labor, and representation. The image, with a lone figure resting with their cart, presents the viewer with a mixture of pastoral calm and the realities of working life. The town, nestled against the backdrop of what appears to be a quarry, hints at the economic activities shaping the community. What does it mean to see a landscape through the lens of labor and industry? Bernhoeft's photograph invites us to consider the lives and stories embedded in this place, asking us to reflect on the relationship between people, their environment, and the ways in which they are represented. This isn't just a view, it’s a tableau of a life lived in relationship with the land.