Schoonhoven aan de Lek c. 1888

This is a photograph of ‘Schoonhoven aan de Lek,’ taken by Johannes Gerardus Kramer. Kramer lived and worked during a time of immense industrial and social change in the Netherlands. This image encapsulates the shifting landscape. The photograph beautifully captures the town’s skyline mirrored on the Lek river. Yet, the smoke billowing from the steamboat hints at a new industrial era, one that would inevitably alter the traditional Dutch landscape. It prompts us to consider the trade-offs between progress and the preservation of cultural identity. There's a palpable tension in this image, between the serenity of the water and the burgeoning industry. It's a reflection of a society grappling with its own transformation.