Trap van de begane grond naar de eerste verdieping van Hotel Merghelynck in Ieper, België before 1894

This photograph by Hector Heylbroeck captures the staircase of Hotel Merghelynck in Ieper, Belgium, a space where time seems to pause. Note the clocks. Perched on the walls, they are not merely time-telling devices but potent symbols, echoing the vanitas tradition. Historically, clocks signify the transience of life and the relentless march of time towards our inevitable end. Yet, here, they take on a layered meaning. Consider how the symbolism of time has evolved. From hourglasses in medieval art to wristwatches in the modern era, each age interprets temporality through its own lens. The clocks' presence in this domestic setting might subconsciously provoke a confrontation with mortality and, perhaps, the subtle anxiety of existence itself. This engagement with time reminds us of its non-linear progression; each tick echoing through the corridors of history.