Gezicht op een zaal in de stijl van Lodewijk XV in het hotel van Hyernaux in Brussel, België before 1898

G. Choppinet made this print depicting a room in the Louis XV style in Brussels, Belgium. The opulence of the scene is unavoidable, but it is important to consider what this aesthetic aimed to represent. In the 18th century, interior design became a powerful tool for displaying social status. Styles like Louis XV, with their emphasis on luxury materials, intricate ornamentation, and overall harmony, projected the refinement, taste, and power of the elite. This room, with its elaborate chandelier, paneling, and marble fireplace, visually encodes wealth and sophistication. But the photograph also provides insight into the cultural institutions of its own time. As a printed image, it democratizes access to a lifestyle that would otherwise be the exclusive preserve of the wealthy. It invites us to consider the role of the image in shaping aspirations, influencing social norms, and even critiquing existing social hierarchies. By consulting archives of interior design, architectural treatises, and social commentaries, historians can unpack the complex relationship between art, power, and society in 18th-century Belgium.