Gebouw van Artis met de brug over de Nieuwe Prinsengracht, Amsterdam 1859 - 1864

This photograph shows the Artis building and bridge over the Nieuwe Prinsengracht in Amsterdam, captured by Pieter Oosterhuis in the mid-19th century. Oosterhuis was not just a photographer, but also a pioneer in stereoscopic imagery, which offered viewers a 3D-like experience. This photograph is a testament to the 19th-century fascination with progress and urban development but it also opens up questions of access and spectatorship. Who was invited to look, and whose stories were deemed worthy of being captured and shared in three dimensions? The presence of a solitary figure in the frame prompts reflection: perhaps a symbol of the individual amidst urban expansion, or a subtle commentary on class and labor during the industrial age. As viewers, we might ponder our own position in relation to this historical landscape, and whose narratives remain unseen in the photographic archive.